Ker Farking Ching!

It is nice to see that those in charge of the London Olympics 2012 have come up with a novel, and amusing, way to make money out of the games.

They will fine anyone not authorised to use the designated Olympics roads during the games £200.

The designated roads cover approximately 2.5% of London's road network, and cross through some of the most congested areas of London.

The concept of these designated roads is to allow athletes, International Olympic Committee members, Olympic sponsors, the media and other junket hangers on not to endure what the average Londoner endures every day when trying to get to work.

All right for some, isn't it?

Ker Farking Ching!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Banquo's Ghost

The BBC, with a degree of partisan delight, report that Former Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has been offered a place on the Olympic board running the Games.

I don't recall her as being particularly good when she was Olympics Minister, or am I biased?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Pissing In The Wind

The Olympics minister, Hugh Robertson, has engaged in the futile activity of pissing in the wind by urging the executives of the Olympic Delivery Authority to exercise some restraint wrt their pay and bonus packages.

It was revealed this month, for example, that ODA chief executive David Higgins is Britain's highest paid quango chief, on £384K last year. In fact, 9 ODA executives earn more than the Prime Minister's annual salary of £142,500.

Mr Robertson has suggested that ODA executives could make a gesture of deferring their bonuses until after the Games in 2012.

Fat chance!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Revenues Up?

It seems that, according to the Telegraph, as a result of the number of people pre-registering their interest in buying tickets for the London 2012 Olympics, accountants have upped their best estimate of revenue.

Seemingly they expect revenues to exceed £2.15BN, an increase of approximately £200M.

All very nice, maybe.

However, as the ticket prices have yet to be announced, how can they be so sure that these pre-registrants will actually follow through and buy their tickets?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

"Modest"

Figures recently released by the Government show that the nine senior executives at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are paid more than David Cameron's annual salary of £142,500.

However, Sir Craig Reedie, the architect of London's bid to host the Games and now a member of the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board, has told insidethegames:

"I think the professionalism that has been shown by the people at the top ODA is outstanding and in world competitive terms, the remuneration is modest."

So that's alright then!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Pie In The Sky

I see that a proposal for cable cars crossing the Thames, that has been knocking around since the 1990's, has been dusted off again using the London 2012 Olympics as the catalyst.

Transport for London (TfL) have it in mind to use cable cars to transport 2,500 people per hour between the Greenwich peninsula and the Royal Docks.

TfL believe that the £25m cost can be covered by the private sector.

Call me cynical, but I guarantee that this gets nowhere.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

U Turn On Cheap Tickets

The Telegraph reports that London Olympics organisers are backtracking on a promise, made during the bidding phase, to provide large numbers of cheap tickets for the 2012 games.

Seemingly the finances are now so tight that Locog needs to raise an extra £441M from ticket sales.

The ticket policy and prices will be presented this week, for approval to the International Olympic Committee.

Ker farking ching!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Money Matters

The Guardian reported last week that David Higgins, the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, earns between £390,000 and £394,999 a year. One of the 15 people working on the games who are paid more than David Cameron's £142,500.

Howard Shiplee, the director of construction, receives between £285,000 and £289,999. Godric Smith, its head of communications, gets nearly £200,000. In 2008, Higgins also received a £205,000 bonus.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"