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olympics

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Cleaning Beijing for the Olympics

Because Beijing is so polluted, the performance of athletes could suffer due to the poor air quality. China has decided to take drastic measures to clean up the air:

Under rules to curb smog and traffic congestion that will last from July 20 to Sept. 20, owners of 3.3 million private cars can drive only on alternate days in China’s capital, based on whether the last digit of their license plates is even or odd.

Freight trucks that don’t meet minimal emission standards were banned July 1…

Over the weekend, the city also opened a $2.3-billion subway line linking the northern Zhongguancun area, the capital’s high-tech neighborhood, with its central business district.

Beijing has gone on a spending spree, relocating factories, seeding clouds, retiring old vehicles, planting millions of trees and halting building construction amid concerns that athletes and visitors could suffer breathing problems.

The prospect of competitors wearing masks during events has spurred authorities to set a goal of 256 “blue-sky” days this year, up from 100 in 1998. World record holder and asthma sufferer Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia has opted to pull out of the marathon and concentrate instead on the 10,000-meter event. Other teams are training for as long as possible outside China.

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Jennie Finch

Check out Team USA softball pitcher Jennie Finch fire her pitches past major league players. I like the quote from the one player: “That’s unhittable.” (Via Peggy @ Buzzfeed).

Germany Olympics

Jason Kottke’s twitter stream:

Seen in a torch protest sign: “Would we have allowed Nazi Germany to host the Olympics?” Ummm….

Terrifying ignorance! Anybody remember 1936? Anyone? Bueller?

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Improving the 2012 Olympic’s logo

Improving the 2012 Olympic’s logo - One look at the London Olympics logo, and you’ll understand why it could use some improving. This little summary showcases an idea that combines the visual identity of the Royal Air Force with that of the ubiquitous olympic rings. It won’t be used, but it’s brilliant.