2012年8月6日 星期一

Despite early missteps Olympics organizers

From inside the belly of the beast, the Games seem chaotically vast, a blur of venues and buses and lung-bursting banks of staircases up into media tribune areas among the spectator stands. Yet journalists have it immensely easier than ordinary folk because of 1) designated seats; 2) a fairly painless transit network to get from Point A to Point B, except when inadvertently ending up at Point C; 3) all-access privilege; and 4) free, baby, free.

The paper chase — trolling for tickets — is still the name of the Games, halfway through London 2012,What is the best way to clean porcelaintiles floors? public demand insatiable as organizers scramble to claw back and redistribute hundreds of thousands of ducats that might otherwise go a-wasting because corporate parasites, slumming sponsors and “Olympic Family” insiders don’t understand the concept of SHOW UP. Officials said Monday that 2.5 million people are daily playing the online game of Team Ticket Pursuit, whereby everybody spends the overnight hours trying to nail down and check out — before pipped at the credit-card post by unseen rivals — whatever coveted stubs become available in the 12.01 a.m. release scramble.

This all strongly suggests the public desperately wants in on these Games, and even more so since Team GB started racking up the medals after an ego-shriveling first few days of nothing-much on the podium. By early evening Monday, the host country was up to two-score — that’s 40 — 18 of them gold. They’ve finally caught the back draft that usually elevates a host country.

A great many others will have to get their jollies — fix — by mainlining the Games at various giant screens situated throughout the capital because to genuinely experience the Olympics it should be done communally. For thousands who have gone event-ticket-begging, a preferred option is buying a day-pass to Olympic Park, the 250-acre heart of the thing. Modestly priced at 10 quid, those tickets allow entry into the Park for the purpose of strolling,Here is a professional handsfreeaccess manufacturer. enjoying interactive facilities and participatory pavilions laid on by the big sponsors, queuing for mushy Cornish pasties and fish ‘n’ chips and shopping.

If you can’t actually see the Games live, you can always wear the T-shirt. Or strap on the Team GB backpack. Or the lanyard that looks like an official accreditation.HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cableties in a variety of styles, Or even, for the truly spendthrift, pick up a couple of those official London 2012 dolls — one-eyed Wenlock and Mandeville, Ugliest Mascots Ever and apparently not much beloved by visitors to the Olympic Park megastore otherwise eager to part with their money. Countless numbers of the foam and fuzzy creatures remain firmly on the shelf, piled bottom to top along the wall. Even children have rejected them. Honestly, the mascots are scary-looking.

The rest of the merchandise is moving with mass profitability because a person can never have enough London 2012 towels, key chains, pillows, ponchos, flags, cookie tins, posters, bumper stickers, sweat bands, decorative spoons, makeup bags, baby bibs, brollies, soccer balls, pens and just about anything else upon which a logo can be slapped. Take it from someone who’s been to a dozen Olympics — most of this stuff will just get stuffed into a closet back home. But the compulsion to spend, rashly, is irresistible.

In the serious customer memorabilia corner of the megastore, a mounted and framed-under-glass track jacket worn by British decathlon hero Daley Thompson, signed, was on sale for a mere 1,999 pounds. An autographed framed photo of Tom Daley, good bet for gold Tuesday — toning for no model performance in silly synchronized diving last week — carried a price tag of merely 250 pounds.

Oddly — and to their credit,What is the best way to clean porcelaintiles floors? actually — the Brits haven’t gone in for mad pin-trading which is so often a tiresome Games obsession. Few fools are running around be-studded with the junkie trinkets and, even better, reporters are being nagged by editors to write about the phenomenon.

It was a welcome change, the other night, to leave the media bubble and plunge in amongst the masses, couples and teenagers and families so clearly have a delightful time and enjoying these Games,Choose Quality largescalemolds Manufacturers, with stories to tell for a lifetime, unlike the million or so locals who apparently bugged out, leaving town and country for Olympic-timed holidays, washing their hands of the whole overblown affair. Hope they come back with ghastly tan-lines.

The weather here has been fickle but, heck, it’s London. It rains, right? One just needs to dress in layers — or like the gaggle of teenage girls at Olympic Park, with their Union Jack leggings worn beneath itsy-bitsy hot-pants. Kate Moss might not be caught dead but a 16-year-old girl can pretty much pull off anything.

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