The ground for the London Olympics site is so polluted with oil, arsenic and other contaminants that giant soil 'washing machines' have been brought in to process the soil in order that construction may start.
The two square miles between Stratford and Hackney Wick are now being cleaned, before construction starts in two months.
This has the "honour" of being Europe's largest land cleansing operation, it will remove over a century's worth of contamination.
Over 1.5 million cubic metres of soil has to be processed.
The Olympics Delivery authority's Utilities director, Simon Wright, said:
"It's enough to fill 600 Olympic sized swimming pools."
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Droids To Patrol Olympics
The RAF will use MQ-9 "Reaper" robo-planes to patrol the skies over London during the Olympics in 2012.The unmanned droids will fly above London to provide surveillance for the security of the Games. They are equipped with a multi-spectral telescopic imaging system, which can locate a human's body heat and see in the dark. They also carry a synthetic-aperture radar which can track people walking on the ground.
The droids are remotely controlled by pilots based on the ground.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Olympics Tax Hike
Given the ever ballooning budget for the London Olympics 2012, which currently stands at £12BN, it is hardly surprising that fears are being expressed that the cost of these unwanted games will be supplemented by an increase in council tax.
The Conservatives have reported that the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has been handed the land and liabilities for the Olympics, leaving it facing the bill for any potential budget overrun.
They suggest that it would be used as a "Trojan horse" to increase local taxpayers' share of the Olympics bill.
However, have no fear, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has rejected this claim.
A spokesman for the DCMS said:
"The Lea Valley Regional Parks Authority does not have the legal powers to do what is suggested.
There is no way in which any 2012-related cost overruns could be the responsibility of the Park Authority, let alone lead to it seeking to burden council tax payers, in London or beyond, with them.
We have a robust budget for 2012 that will guard against cost overruns."
So that's alright then!
The Conservatives have reported that the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has been handed the land and liabilities for the Olympics, leaving it facing the bill for any potential budget overrun.
They suggest that it would be used as a "Trojan horse" to increase local taxpayers' share of the Olympics bill.
However, have no fear, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has rejected this claim.
A spokesman for the DCMS said:
"The Lea Valley Regional Parks Authority does not have the legal powers to do what is suggested.
There is no way in which any 2012-related cost overruns could be the responsibility of the Park Authority, let alone lead to it seeking to burden council tax payers, in London or beyond, with them.
We have a robust budget for 2012 that will guard against cost overruns."
So that's alright then!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
It's The Money Stupid
Not wishing to be left off the gravy train, that is the London 2012 Olympics, the building union Ucatt has warned that the games could be hit by strikes and delays unless a uniform rate of pay for workers is agreed.
Ucatt said that not doing so was "recipe for industrial disharmony".
It claims varying rates among 10,000 staff working on projects, including the main stadium, will cause delays as they switch jobs to get the best pay.
As noted many times before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport they are about money.
Ucatt said that not doing so was "recipe for industrial disharmony".
It claims varying rates among 10,000 staff working on projects, including the main stadium, will cause delays as they switch jobs to get the best pay.
As noted many times before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport they are about money.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Security Costs Soar
Adding further pressure to the already out of control London Olympics budget (currently standing at £12BN, including £2BN running costs); Tessa Jowell revealed that the bill for policing London and the United Kingdom during the Games had soared from £200M, at the time of the 2005 bid, to a total of £1.2BN.
Denis Oswald, the chairman of the IOC's London 2012 co-ordination commission, said that he was "encouraged" by the latest budget analysis announced by Jowell.
LOL!
Denis Oswald, the chairman of the IOC's London 2012 co-ordination commission, said that he was "encouraged" by the latest budget analysis announced by Jowell.
LOL!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Quell Surprise!
It should come as no surprise to learn that the costs for the out of control London 2012 Olympics (the budget currently stands at £12BN, including £2BN running costs) have a 20% chance of rising.
Only 20%?
That is the warning given by a government report which has been leaked to the BBC.
However, please do not be alarmed. Our government has issued an assurance that ministers are confident the budget is "robust".
HAH!
They would say that, wouldn't they?
Never allow a politician to run a long term prestige project. They have neither the skill, nor the attention span, to do an effective or reliable job.
Only 20%?
That is the warning given by a government report which has been leaked to the BBC.
However, please do not be alarmed. Our government has issued an assurance that ministers are confident the budget is "robust".
HAH!
They would say that, wouldn't they?
Never allow a politician to run a long term prestige project. They have neither the skill, nor the attention span, to do an effective or reliable job.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Emergency Funding
In a sure sign the the budget for the London Olympics 2012 is well and truly out of control, and the organisers are panicking, Olympics officials have not ruled out having to spend all of the £2.7BN.
This was set aside to pay for cost overruns on the London 2012 Games.
David Higgins, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority told the Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee the contingency is "prudent".
He said the authority does not intend to ask for extra funds.
Until, of course, he needs them.
They know full well that they have the government by the balls on this, and there is no way that the politicians will be involved with a "failed" Olympics.
Such a pity that it is the taxpayers' money that is being used to prop up the failed careers of second rate politicians.
The budget currently stands at £12BN (including £2BN running costs), we can be assured that the final figure will be much higher.
This was set aside to pay for cost overruns on the London 2012 Games.
David Higgins, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority told the Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee the contingency is "prudent".
He said the authority does not intend to ask for extra funds.
Until, of course, he needs them.
They know full well that they have the government by the balls on this, and there is no way that the politicians will be involved with a "failed" Olympics.
Such a pity that it is the taxpayers' money that is being used to prop up the failed careers of second rate politicians.
The budget currently stands at £12BN (including £2BN running costs), we can be assured that the final figure will be much higher.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
IOC President Lambasts London Olympics Budget
The chickens are well and truly coming home to roost for the government and the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics, over the spiralling and out of control budget (currently £12BN including running costs) for these unwanted games.
Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, has put the boot in by saying that the government handling of the budget review had imperilled public support.
Rogge, being a true politician, tries to pour oil on troubled waters by noting that much of the increase can be accounted for by the fact that 2004 prices were used in the bid and VAT was ignored.
Disregarding that spin, he then notes that the huge increase in the headline figure has led to public uncertainty.
He is quoted in The Guardian:
"There are two issues that have made things confusing for the general public because they were not included in the original budget.
These are elements that have been added to the budget. They are VAT, which was not included at the beginning, and the second is a strong contingency fund, all of which gives the idea to the general public that there has been an escalation. In fact these are new elements.
Another issue is that in the bid books we had 2004 prices, but we are speaking about a project that will culminate in 2012 ... and that creates confusion among the general public who think that the budget has exploded.
There is a perception that there is a big difference but if you look at the constant impact of inflation it's not such an explosion."
Whatever political spin is put on the £12BN cost figure that the taxpayers are now facing, can't hide the fact that £12BN is a very large sum of money (one which will rise as the deadline draws ever closer) and that one that the British taxpayer does not want to fund.
The organisers by their ineptitude and spin tried to hide the true cost of the games when they made the bid, as they knew that the public would never have supported them.
The chickens are well and truly coming home to roost, and the politicians are finding it more difficult to hide the true costs of the games.
Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, has put the boot in by saying that the government handling of the budget review had imperilled public support.
Rogge, being a true politician, tries to pour oil on troubled waters by noting that much of the increase can be accounted for by the fact that 2004 prices were used in the bid and VAT was ignored.
Disregarding that spin, he then notes that the huge increase in the headline figure has led to public uncertainty.
He is quoted in The Guardian:
"There are two issues that have made things confusing for the general public because they were not included in the original budget.
These are elements that have been added to the budget. They are VAT, which was not included at the beginning, and the second is a strong contingency fund, all of which gives the idea to the general public that there has been an escalation. In fact these are new elements.
Another issue is that in the bid books we had 2004 prices, but we are speaking about a project that will culminate in 2012 ... and that creates confusion among the general public who think that the budget has exploded.
There is a perception that there is a big difference but if you look at the constant impact of inflation it's not such an explosion."
Whatever political spin is put on the £12BN cost figure that the taxpayers are now facing, can't hide the fact that £12BN is a very large sum of money (one which will rise as the deadline draws ever closer) and that one that the British taxpayer does not want to fund.
The organisers by their ineptitude and spin tried to hide the true cost of the games when they made the bid, as they knew that the public would never have supported them.
The chickens are well and truly coming home to roost, and the politicians are finding it more difficult to hide the true costs of the games.
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