Olympic Headlines

Just read a couple of inspiring Olympian stories from recent news reports: NOLA.com reports on 1948 Olympic bronze medalist Herb Johnson delivered an inspiring commencement address; hope to see him return to London next summer! The Houston Chronicle showcases a speedskater to watch in the lead-up to Sochi 2014. Also a great read, Chicago Tribune international sports columnist Philip Hersh's update regarding IOC President Jacques Rogge's delayed reaction to Osama bin Laden's death. Happy reading on this happy Mother's Day.

Londoners' Olympic Savvy Survey

About four years ago (on July 6, 2005, to be exact), London earned the IOC's selection as host to the 2012 Olympic Games. And in just over 1,130 days, the Olympic Cauldron will ignite for London's next Olympic adventure (third in a series following 1908 and 1948).

It was slightly, though not entirely, surprising to read today's BBC report on a recent survey that revealed that more than half of Londoners don't yet know the 2012 venue location specifics, or other key information on their hometown Games. The report adds that "75 percent are pleased the capital is hosting the event and a third are interested in becoming volunteers."

This news update seems like much ado about nothing (didn't some bard who resided in London write a line like that?).

With a few clicks I took my first closer look at the London 2012 Organizing Committee site, which has some interesting blog topics, including a fresh post on an Olympic Poster exhibition underway in a city far north of London (specifically at The Shipley Art Gallery, according to the blogger).

It will be fun to learn more about this past and future Olympic site in the weeks and months to come.

(Map illustration: Best, Michael. Shakespeare's Life and Times. Internet Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria: Victoria, BC, 2001-2005. http://ise.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/. Visited 19 June 2009).

Red Dawn

A wonderful surprise was in my mailbox last night. Right behind my 401K $tatement was this week's New Yorker, with their best cover art since Javier Mariscal put the Barcelona Olympic mascot, Cobi, in a convertible driving along the Pacific Coast Highway (sometime in the 1990s).

“Red Death on Wall Street” by Robert Risko is just hilarious to me. Although the upended world economy is no laughing matter, something about the cover artwork tickled me (at least to smile for a few minutes before opening that 401K envelope). Maybe it's the bleeding eye sockets in crimson ink, or the pinstripe suits. Or the clinched fists and expressions that seem to scream out, "Noooooooo!"

Earlier this year, the magazine also had some outstanding features on the Beijing Games, including an online audio report featuring architecture critic Paul Goldberger (fantastic!). The New Yorker also has some interesting archives from Olympic reports all the way back to London in 1948.