What constitutes a living wage?
The campaigners for a Living Wage say that it is £7.05 per hour, and claim that the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) have reneged on a deal with the London Citizens Alliance to offer that rate (or the equivalent) during the London Olympics 2012.
ODA claim that it has stood by the deal in which it promised to encourage contractors to pay a living wage.
The ODA agreement said:
"We recognise the contribution that the London living wage can play in enabling us to deliver our regenerative aspirations.
We will monitor whether this is delivered."
The campaigners for a "living wage" will stage a protest outside of the London Chamber of Commerce in the City.
Wednesday, 20 September 2006
Friday, 15 September 2006
Drug Free Olympics
China is pulling out all the stops to crack down on an endemic drug problem, that is gripping the nightclubs and bars of Beijing and other major cities.
Ecstasy use is now rife in clubs and bars, and the Chinese authorities want to be rid of the problem of "recreational drugs" by the time the 2008 Olympics are under way in Beijing.
As such club and bar owners are being trained to look out for drug use, ectasy is known as the "head shaking" drug, by videos and lectures.
Now if only the athletes competing in the Games could be made drug free as well, then the Olympics might actually gain some credibility.
Ecstasy use is now rife in clubs and bars, and the Chinese authorities want to be rid of the problem of "recreational drugs" by the time the 2008 Olympics are under way in Beijing.
As such club and bar owners are being trained to look out for drug use, ectasy is known as the "head shaking" drug, by videos and lectures.
Now if only the athletes competing in the Games could be made drug free as well, then the Olympics might actually gain some credibility.
Thursday, 14 September 2006
Forecasting The 2008 Beijing Olympics
It is reported that China is working on improving its weather forecasting systems, in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
It is even speculated that there will be a separate forecast for every street in Beijing, when the Summer Games open in 2008.
It is even speculated that there will be a separate forecast for every street in Beijing, when the Summer Games open in 2008.
Tuesday, 12 September 2006
The Definition of Freedom
In an earlier article on this site a few days ago, I noted that Tessa Jowell (Britain's Olympics Minister) when visiting Beijing gushed that she had received a positive response when she raised the issue of press freedom with her counterpart Mr Liu.
Quote:
"He gave me a clear assurance that he would support unimpeded movement of accredited and non-accredited journalists to report not just on the Games but on China."
Seemingly she was talking bollocks.
Beijing activists are up in arms about China's proposed new controls on foreign news agencies, which give the government's Xinhua News Agency control over distribution within China of news, information and other services from foreign agencies. Xinhua said it would delete items deemed to violate national unity or social stability.
These new controls quite clearly fly in the face of what Jowell was claiming only a few days ago.
Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China, said in a statement:
"These measures are an authoritarian attempt to control news and information dissemination and the access of China's users to uncensored news and information."
Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement:
"These new regulations on the distribution of foreign news are a step backward."
Hom said that the new regulations would deprive Chinese society of information needed to address corruption and social problems.
A Paris based group, Reporters Without Borders, said that the regulations might violate China's commitments to the World Trade Organisation.
The European Union said that it would take them up at human rights talks with China in October.
So much for the words and promises of Jowell!
Quote:
"He gave me a clear assurance that he would support unimpeded movement of accredited and non-accredited journalists to report not just on the Games but on China."
Seemingly she was talking bollocks.
Beijing activists are up in arms about China's proposed new controls on foreign news agencies, which give the government's Xinhua News Agency control over distribution within China of news, information and other services from foreign agencies. Xinhua said it would delete items deemed to violate national unity or social stability.
These new controls quite clearly fly in the face of what Jowell was claiming only a few days ago.
Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China, said in a statement:
"These measures are an authoritarian attempt to control news and information dissemination and the access of China's users to uncensored news and information."
Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement:
"These new regulations on the distribution of foreign news are a step backward."
Hom said that the new regulations would deprive Chinese society of information needed to address corruption and social problems.
A Paris based group, Reporters Without Borders, said that the regulations might violate China's commitments to the World Trade Organisation.
The European Union said that it would take them up at human rights talks with China in October.
So much for the words and promises of Jowell!
Monday, 11 September 2006
Shortage of Olympic Doctors
Despite the fact that the 2012 London Olympics are still 6 years away, doctors are warning that the UK has too few specialist doctors in sports and exercise medicine to be able to cope with the injuries that could occur at the 2012 Olympics.
Charles Galasko, of the Royal College of Physicians, said that 30 specialists would be needed. Currently there are only 3 specialists in the UK at the moment.
It seems that whilst doctors in other specialist fields, such as orthopaedics, treat sports injuries, they do not have the all-round expertise needed.
Quote:
"The orthopaedic surgeon can deal with the ankle injury but would not necessarily be in a position to deal with an abdominal injury that may have occurred at the same time."
I am sure that this is an unnecessary concern, as the competitors will doubtless bring their own specialists with them in their entourages.
Charles Galasko, of the Royal College of Physicians, said that 30 specialists would be needed. Currently there are only 3 specialists in the UK at the moment.
It seems that whilst doctors in other specialist fields, such as orthopaedics, treat sports injuries, they do not have the all-round expertise needed.
Quote:
"The orthopaedic surgeon can deal with the ankle injury but would not necessarily be in a position to deal with an abdominal injury that may have occurred at the same time."
I am sure that this is an unnecessary concern, as the competitors will doubtless bring their own specialists with them in their entourages.
Wednesday, 6 September 2006
Press Freedom At The 2008 Olympics
The Beijing 2008 Olympics organisers have promised that the media will be allowed to move freely around China.
That at least is what Britain's minister for culture media and sport, Tessa Jowell, is saying.
The promise has been given by Liu Qi, the head of the organising committee. In the event that the promise is honoured, it would mean a drastic change in the current restrictions imposed on journalists in China. Correspondents are frequently detained by police, and sent back to Beijing when they try to cover sensitive stories in the provinces.
Jowell, who is visiting Beijing as UK Olympic minister, claims that she received a positive response when she raised the issue with her counterpart, Mr Liu.
Quote:
"He gave me a clear assurance that he would support unimpeded movement of accredited and non-accredited journalists to report not just on the Games but on China."
As with all political promises, parts of it are unclear; eg whether this new openness would apply only for the duration of the Olympics, or be permanent.
Jowell went on to say:
"I believe that once we establish freedom in this way, even after the delegates and the athletes have gone home, China won't reverse it and the Games will have a lasting legacy of opening China to the world."
The proof of the pudding, as the old saying goes, is in the eating.
That at least is what Britain's minister for culture media and sport, Tessa Jowell, is saying.
The promise has been given by Liu Qi, the head of the organising committee. In the event that the promise is honoured, it would mean a drastic change in the current restrictions imposed on journalists in China. Correspondents are frequently detained by police, and sent back to Beijing when they try to cover sensitive stories in the provinces.
Jowell, who is visiting Beijing as UK Olympic minister, claims that she received a positive response when she raised the issue with her counterpart, Mr Liu.
Quote:
"He gave me a clear assurance that he would support unimpeded movement of accredited and non-accredited journalists to report not just on the Games but on China."
As with all political promises, parts of it are unclear; eg whether this new openness would apply only for the duration of the Olympics, or be permanent.
Jowell went on to say:
"I believe that once we establish freedom in this way, even after the delegates and the athletes have gone home, China won't reverse it and the Games will have a lasting legacy of opening China to the world."
The proof of the pudding, as the old saying goes, is in the eating.
Tuesday, 5 September 2006
Bird's Nest Ready
China has completed the stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
The Bird's Nest can hold 91,000 spectators, and is made of approximately 22 miles of unwrapped steel, weighing 42,000 tons, that has been welded into a crisscross shape to resemble twigs in a bird's nest.
It measures approximately 1,052 ft. long by 731 ft. wide by 226 ft. high.
It was designed by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron with the assistance of Ai Weiwei, one of China's leading modern artists.
The cost was around $500M.
The Bird's Nest can hold 91,000 spectators, and is made of approximately 22 miles of unwrapped steel, weighing 42,000 tons, that has been welded into a crisscross shape to resemble twigs in a bird's nest.
It measures approximately 1,052 ft. long by 731 ft. wide by 226 ft. high.
It was designed by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron with the assistance of Ai Weiwei, one of China's leading modern artists.
The cost was around $500M.
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