Facebook has announced a dedicated portal for London 2012 to allow fans to "connect with their favourite Olympians" at the Games.
The section features dedicated pages for athletes and sports, including a complete timeline history of the competition since the 1800s.
The IOC said the portal would create a "social media stadium".
However, restrictions on what athletes can or cannot post will restrict some content from being published.
Participants are subject to tight guidelines over content posted on Facebook and Twitter, particularly in relation to brands and broadcasting deals.
It restricts the posting of any video from within an Olympic venue.
'Ambush'Mark Adams, from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that while visitors to the Games would be able to post videos and stills, athletes' activities would be curbed.
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End Quote Boris BeckerIt's impossible to think all day and all night about the next match, interacting with fans is a good thing”
"It depends on where they are," he said.
"If they're in a stadium, they can't. We have a relationship with various broadcasters around the world which provides the funding [for the Games]."
In addition, he said, the IOC would be watching for any attempted "ambush" marketing.
"It's something we always have to keep in our mind," he said.
"It does take away money from the Olympic movement. It's something that we have to protect."
Facebook, which announced the portal at its central London offices, said it hoped the portal would mean Olympics fans could interact with athletes in a way that had not been possible in previous Games.
Alex Balfour, from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) said there was now a "perfect storm" of technology to allow a "really rich experience" wherever fans were in the world.
"We want make sure our Games is available to that new audience of digital consumers," he added.
Facebook said it would allow fans to use the network to discover footage of their favourite athletes - but some content would be geo-targeted, meaning certain footage might not be available in certain regions of the world.
Mr Adams admitted that the IOC had been slow to adopt social networking, but was now ready to embrace it for London 2012.
"The way I like to think about the IOC and our relationship with social media is that the Olympics is one of the oldest social networks that has ever been.
"Everyone has an experience and shares that experience with their friends and their family - everyone has an emotional attachment to the Games. We're just digitising that experience."
Hot waterFormer world tennis number one and Olympic gold medallist Boris Becker told the BBC that using social media could help athletes prepare.
"It's very positive. It gives athletes the chance to get real opinions and real questions and to answer back.
"It's fun - everyone's online anyway. It's impossible to think all day and all night about the next match, interacting with fans is a good thing."
However, he warned that it was inevitable that some athletes might not think before they tweeted and so land themselves in hot water during the Games.
"The world and people are not perfect," he said.
"There will always be athletes who will take it out of line, but that doesn't mean that the platform is wrong."
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
London 2012: Mary Spencer awarded wildcard to box at Olympics - Toronto Star
Boxer Mary Spencer’s Olympic dream is still alive.
The Windsor, Ont., fighter received word Monday that she has been awarded a wild-card entry for the London Olympics.
Spencer has waited several weeks to learn her fate after failing to clinch a spot at the women’s world championships last month in China.
She said she’s relieved to finally know for sure she’ll be competing at the Games.
“I feel stronger and even more focused right now,” she said in a statement. “The route to London was not as expected, but I feel I’ve learned a lot and I will take those lessons with me on the final leg of the journey.”
She said she has continued her preparation during the period of uncertainty.
“My coach Charlie Stewart and the rest of my team have been helping me prepare to box at the Games, and I’m looking forward to the honour of representing Canada in the ring in London,” she said.
The three-time world champion has been touted as one of Canada’s top medal hopefuls in London and her absence would have been a huge blow to the Canadian team.
“This is excellent news for Mary and great news for the 2012 Canadian Olympic team,” said Canadian chef de mission Mark Tewksbury. “I wish her good luck in training and can’t wait to see her in the ring.”
The news wasn’t as good for fellow Canadians Mandy Bujold and Sandra Bizier. They also failed to qualify through the world championships but were denied wild-card spots Monday.
Spencer, 27, was the top seed in her 75-kilogram weight class but she lost her opening bout at the world championships. The event served as the Olympic qualifier.
The five-foot-11 fighter, who won gold at the Pan American Games last fall in Mexico, received the wild-card spot from the International Olympic Committee’s Tripartite Commission.
In addition to being the new face of CoverGirl, Spencer is featured prominently in a splashy ad campaign from the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Her remarkable consistency took a hit earlier this spring when she dropped a 27-14 decision to Claressa Shields in the final of the American Boxing Confederation’s continental championships.
Spencer, who was born in Wiarton, Ont., carried the Canadian flag at the Pan Am Games closing ceremonies.
Source: www.thestar.com
This week's best things to do in London, from culinary celebration to a collection of festivals - Daily Telegraph
Taste of London, Regent’s Park
An annual celebration of the capital’s culinary calibre, Taste of London sees some of the city’s most progressive and interesting restaurants and chefs gather for a series of tastings, masterclasses and cooking sessions at Regent’s Park. Over the four days you’ll be able to sample signature dishes from Pollen Street Social, Maze, Yauatcha and more, while chefs including Wolfgang Puck and Nuno Mendes will be in attendance. As with previous years, the 2012 event also includes a series of special events to reflect the most recent dining developments. This year the San Pellegrino VIP Dining Experience with Theo Randall will see the Intercontinental Hotel Hyde Park chef concoct a special four-course menu for the event; the Taste of London’s Secret Garden will provide an intimate and exclusive new dining and drinking area; a Laurent-Perrier champagne-tasting masterclass will be taking place and specialist beer-tasting sessions are held throughout.
When: June 21-24
Where: Regent’s Park, Marylebone Rd entrance, London NW1 5HA
Tube: Regent’s Park
How much: standard-entry tickets cost £24 in advance or £28 on the door (£12 or £14 respectively for children aged 6-14). Other packages and entry options are available.
City of London Festival, the City
The Goldner Quartet at last year's City of London Festival. Image: Robert Piwko/City of London Festival
Fifty years old in 2012, the City of London Festival returns again this year with an extensive programme of concerts, exhibitions and recitals all held in spectacular landmark locations throughout the City. This year’s theme is City of London – Trading Places with the World, and with a nod towards the Olympics, it explores the history of the City and its relationship with other regions throughout the world. With events taking place over 34 days there’s plenty of entertainment on offer but highlights include the English National Ballet’s performances of two new commissions for the festival by Anthony Downson and Van Le Ngoc, the temporary installation of live music sculptures at Tower Bridge and Monument and a series of free lunchtime concerts by musicians from the Guildhall School.
When: June 24 – July 27
Where: throughout the City
How much: prices vary
Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, Greenwich
Reliably engaging and innovative, the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival fuses theatre, dance, art and music to create a ten-day-long cultural spectacular. This year highlights include the world premiere of Crow by the Handspring Puppet Company, best known for their work with the National Theatre production of War Horse; the return of the Greenwich Fair and the Word on the Street series of outdoor theatre performances. As ever, festival organisers have done a good job of making many of the major events and performances free and open to all.
When: June 21-30
Where: throughout Greenwich
How much: prices vary
Free Range Art and Design 2012; The Old Truman Brewery
Brick Lane becomes even more vibrant in mid-summer, with the return of the annual Free Range Art and Design show. Lasting two months, the continually changing exhibition showcases works by some of the country’s most talented young creatives, with displays featuring art, photography, textiles, illustration, interiors and product design. This is the biggest show for graduates of art and design in Europe so you can expect to discover some exceptionally promising emerging talents if you visit. For those inspired to learn more, a series of workshops and talks run alongside the main exhibitions.
When: until July 16
Where: The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
Tube: Liverpool Street
How much: free
London Wonderground, Southbank Centre
The Boom Boom Club at this year's London Wonderground Photo: Boom Boom Club
Cabaret, circus and music are all fused at the all-summer-long London Wonderground, now on at the Southbank Centre. In its inaugural year, the free-spirited festival is being held in a 1920s Spiegeltent and brings a Coney Island-style celebration of the curious and eccentric to the South Bank. The headline production is Cantina, a sultry combination of acrobatics, vaudeville, magic and music intended for adults, while there will also be performances from Irish chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan and playful cabaret shows hosted by the Boom Boom Club.
When: until September 30
Where: Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
Tube: Waterloo
How much: prices vary
Udderbelly Festival, the Southbank Centre
Image: Belinda Lawley
Now in its fourth year, the Udderbelly Festival has already made a significant impact on Londoners thanks to its excellent comedy programme and distinctive venue – performances are held in a huge, partially inflated, upside-down purple cow. Performing this year are Tim Minchin, Sean Hughes, Andi Osho, Patrick Monahan and many more – the festival continues until July so there’s plenty of time to visit but expect the most popular acts to sell out soon. As well as comedy, there are family shows, theatre performances and musical experimentations.
When: until July 8
Where: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd London SE1 8XX
Tube: Waterloo
How much: prices vary
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
New buyers may lift London art sales to $1 billion - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - London's art market is attracting the lion's share of business from an emerging class of super-wealthy collectors from Russia, the Middle East and China, and they are likely to be a big factor in a summer season of sales valued at up to $1 billion (638 million pounds).
Christie's, Sotheby's and smaller rivals like Phillips de Pury hold a three-week series of auctions featuring works by artists as diverse as Rembrandt, Renoir and Gerhard Richter.
Euro zone turmoil and slowing Chinese economic growth are giving investors the jitters, yet the high-end art market has defied gravity on a record-breaking streak.
New York has long been considered the global capital of the auction world -- most recent records have been set there, including the $120 million paid for Edvard Munch's "The Scream" at a Sotheby's sale in May.
London, a more natural fit for Russian tycoons who have homes in the city and Middle Eastern buyers just a mid-haul flight away, may be closing that gap.
Sotheby's has calculated that, while the number of lots sold to buyers from "new" markets has risen in both cities so far this year, the increase has been far more marked in London (33 percent) than New York (six percent).
"Particularly the Russians feel very comfortable bidding in the London sales as many of them have second homes and are very active here," said Helena Newman, chairman of Sotheby's impressionist and modern art department in Europe.
"I think that because of our geographic situation, we are the gateway to the East ... Central Asia, the Middle East and the East," she told Reuters at the company's London headquarters where star lots from the upcoming sales were on display.
"We definitely see that in the sales of recent years. It is a growing trend."
BILLION-DOLLAR BONANZA?
Beyond bragging rights, auctioneers are not overly concerned with who buys what where. Key lots for sale in London come from the United States, for example, and the market overall has become more globalised.
One of the prize lots of the season is English artist John Constable's "The Lock", being offered by Christie's for 20-25 million pounds and the only one of a series of six important landscapes by the painter to be in private hands.
It goes under the hammer on July 3 and should eclipse the 10.8 million pounds raised when it was sold in 1990 - a British painting record it held for 16 years.
On the same night, Rembrandt's "A Man in a Gorget and Cap" is on course to raise 8-12 million pounds.
On Wednesday, a Renoir nude is set to fetch 12-18 million pounds and the next week the same auctioneer offers Yves Klein's "Le Rose du Bleu", estimated at 17-20 million pounds and Francis Bacon's "Study For Self-Portrait" (1964) (15-20 million).
Christie's, the world's largest auction house, expects to raise at least 310 million pounds from its sales of impressionist, modern, contemporary art as well as those of British paintings and Old Masters.
The upper estimate is closer to 500 million pounds, and combined with Sotheby's low target of 210 million pounds, a billion-dollar art bonanza looks within reach.
"The four week summer season of major international auctions at Christie's ... is set to become one of the richest and most valuable series of auctions in company history," said Jussi Pylkkanen, head of Christie's Europe.
MIRO RECORD IN SIGHT
At Sotheby's, the top work of the season could be Joan Miro's "Peinture (Etoile Bleue), valued at 15-20 million pounds and in sight of the artist record set this year of 16.8 million.
Its appearance so soon after the February record is no coincidence -- auction houses tailor sales to reflect the latest tastes, and the Miro, along with works by Henry Moore and Surrealist Paul Delvaux, all follow recent auction highs.
The prominence of large, colourful, figurative works at Sotheby's, including Kees van Dongen's "Lailla", Marc Chagall's "L'Arbre de Jesse" and Delvaux's "Deux Femmes couchees", also reflects emerging market tastes.
Soaring prices for coveted works of art at a time of global economic uncertainty have long prompted warnings of a sharp correction and even collapse, but time and again in the last three years the market has defied the gloomiest predictions.
There has been weakening in Chinese demand and tastes can be fickle, but the very best works of art have generally risen in value since a sharp but brief drop in auction turnover in 2009.
The contraction was as much a reflection of sellers backing away as of falling demand, experts say, and auction houses believe they are back in a "virtuous cycle" of rising prices in turn attracting the very best works on to the market.
Institutional acquisitions have also played a key role in the recovery, with Qatar emerging as one of the biggest buyers of art in recent years as it fills a growing network of museums.
Widespread reports said the Gulf state paid $250 million for Paul Cezanne's "The Card Players" in a private deal, believed to be the highest price ever paid for a work of art. (Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Source: uk.reuters.com
13,000 call for faster broadband internet in Kent - thisiskent.co.uk
Kent County Council has received nearly 13,000 votes for faster broadband internet in the area.
In a message posted on social networking and microblogging site Twitter, the council revealed it had received 12,933 votes of support for its Make Kent Quicker campaign, which calls for better broadband.
It is hoped the campaign, which has been running since February 15, will show there is demand for faster internet in Kent.
As it stands, almost 4,000 households and 150 businesses in Kent do not get any sort of broadband. More than 8,500 households can only get 256kbps speeds, which is slow and can often stop altogether.
The towns of Sevenoaks and Swanley are the only areas with super-fast access - the rest of the district has to make do with far slower speeds.
The council hopes 90% of homes and businesses will have superfast broadband access by 2015, and that everyone will have access to a service of at least 2mb. The £10 million that Kent County Council is investing in this upgrade has been matched by £9.87 million from the Government.
But the council also needs broadband providers to invest, and for this to happen it must demonstrate there is an appetite for better broadband. The greater the demand, the more broadband providers will be prepared to invest in Kent.
The total cost of Make Kent Quicker, the brainchild of Councillor Kevin Lynes who died suddenly in March, is expected to be in the region of £43 million.
In April this year, a report predicted BT’s investment in super-fast broadband will give Kent a massive boost, creating thousands of new jobs and start-up businesses in the next 15 years.
The report, by Regeneris Consulting, found that last year the overall beneficial financial impact of BT activities in Kent, including the roll-out of super-fast broadband, amounted to £268 million.
Super-fast broadband would enable the people of Kent to keep in touch with family and friends online, pay bills with ease and access the latest news and information, while businesses would be able to formulate a digital strategy to attract new customers.
Roger Gough, KCC Cabinet member for Business Strategy, Performance and Health Reform, said in May: “To many people - and businesses - a good broadband connection is a vital utility. And for many businesses, poor broadband is crippling and better broadband would help them compete.
“Many children will be at a disadvantage at school compared with their peers, because they lack good broadband at home.
“The value of better broadband should not be underestimated, and I hope many thousands more people will sign up between now and the end of the campaign in June.”
Click here to register your Make Kent Quicker vote online
Source: www.thisiskent.co.uk
London 2012 Olympics: Team GB on track for biggest ever medal haul at Games, says Peter Keen - Daily Telegraph
He cited the fact the number of athletes who are currently ranked within medal positions in the world rankings indicates medal chances are at an all-time high. This comparison with world rankings as a method to predict performance is a lot more positive than it was pre-Beijing.
He said: "It is much more than a gut feeling – we track performance and it's a simple statistical fact that where we stand now is further forward than prior to Beijing.
"I would be very, very surprised if that doesn't see (the team) perform higher than in Beijing.
"There are more people with more ability than we had in Beijing.
"I am sure Britain will win more medals in more sports than we have ever done in the modern era."
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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