Designs of Olympic, Paralympic staff uniforms unveiled

Designs of Olympic, Paralympic staff uniforms unveiledBEIJING, January 20 -- The clothing designs of volunteers, staff and technical officials for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games were unveiled today as part of China's celebration of the 200-day countdown to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
The 200-day countdown ceremony was held at Rulun Hall at the prestigious Renmin University of China and televised live across the country. On hand for the uniform unveiling representing the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) were executive vice-presidents Jiang Xiaoyu and Tang Xiaoquan. Also present at the ceremony was Wolfgang Bentheimer, managing director of adidas Greater China.

The uniforms feature "lucky clouds", the same pattern used in the design of the Olympic torch -- a delicate blend of Olympic concepts with Chinese characteristics.
Uniforms for BOCOG staff are red while those for volunteers are blue and those for technical officials are gray.
The design team of the new uniforms were represented by the Cultural Activities Department of BOCOG, Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology, Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University, China Central Academy of Fine Arts and adidas, an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
BOCOG will outfit 130,000 individuals with uniforms provided by the German sportswear giant.
Design concepts for the uniforms began in early December 2005 and were approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in late August 2007.

Source : http://en.beijing2008.cn/2008.cn/

Olympic Tower sports 'Beijing 2008' logo

As night falls and the lights come on, the Beijing Olympic Tower's glowing new decorations can be seen clearly under the starry sky.
An 18-metre-tall Olympic emblem has been affixed to the front of the building, on the middle section of North Fourth Ring Road, and its east side and west side each displays a 64.9-metre-tall, 8.4-metre-wide piece of fibre banner with "Beijing 2008" emblazoned on it.
The 19-storey tower, which houses the headquarters of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and will be the command centre during the 2008 Olympic Games, is indeed a spectacle to behold.
"The building is a pure sight to me. It looks like a towering giant, sending a gentle smile to me its 'Dancing Beijing' emblem is like a beauty mark while its 'Beijing 2008' emblems are like two long ears," said Bian Haihong, a local policeman. "I really like it."
The new Olympic logo was added to the front and the east side on June 28. BOCOG moved into the building in Haidian District in January of this year to accommodate an expanding work volume. A similar decorative banner was installed on its western wall on Saturday.
"As the capital of China and a city with a history of more than 3,000 years, Beijing is an amazing mix of old and new. It is the political and culture centre of China, and also an international city. The new building and the new image have added a new sort of life to it," Bian said.
The new office building, located near the central Olympic area, is a well-equipped office building that not only meets the needs of BOCOG's major preparatory undertakings, but also will facilitate Beijing Olympic Partners' provision of services for the Games.
Beijing was elected the host city of the 2008 Summer Games on July 13, 2001.
Chen Zeng, a migrant worker from East China's Anhui Province, said: "I have worked in Haidian District in various restaurants for more than four years. I have seen many new high-rises here. But when I first saw the Olympic Tower, I thought it was peculiar, unlike the others. Maybe it is because of my feelings.
"As the command centre for the 2008 Olympics, it looks so special to me," he said.
"With the newly added Olympic logo, the Olympic Tower looks like a towering Chinese, opening her arms to welcome all visitors and forthcoming Games participants. I'm proud of the Olympic Games here," Chen said.
Officials from the BOCOG Culture and Ceremonies Department who are in charge of image-building said the whole project aims to enhance the image of the Olympic Tower.
Greening work in the square in front of the tower is also in full swing.
Meanwhile, construction of major Olympic projects including the National Stadium and National Aquatics Centre is progressing smoothly and according to schedule while also satisfying quality guarantees, BOCOG officials said.
Source: China Daily

Table tennis (Ping Pong)

Atlanta, 1 August 1996. Games of the XXVI Olympiad. Table tennis, men's singles: Guoliang LIU of China serves during the singles final versus fellow contryman Tao WANG. Credit: Getty Images
Gossima. Whiff-Whaff. Flim-Flam. Ping-Pong.
Whatever name it assumes, table tennis has come a long way since its introduction as a genteel, after-dinner alternative to lawn tennis in 1890s England. Today, players compete for big money, wield high-tech rackets and volley the ball at speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour. Table tennis has become the world's largest participation sport, with 40 million competitive players worldwide and countless millions playing recreationally.
The game, which debuted in the Olympic Games in 1988 at Seoul, began with cigar-box lids for rackets and a carved champagne cork for a ball. Today, players use specially developed rubber-coated wooden and carbon-fibre rackets and a lightweight, hollow celluloid ball. Various rubber compounds and glues are applied on the rackets to impart greater spin or speed.
Indeed, some glues are banned from Olympic competition - they make the ball travel up to 30km/h faster.

Source : http://www.olympic.org/

5 Dolls Mascot

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- To the surprise of all, Beijing unveiled a set of five doll mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games Friday evening, exactly 1,000 days before the event's opening ceremony.
The long-anticipated mascots, which embody the natural characteristics of four of China's popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame, were presented at a televised grand ceremony inside the Workers' Gymnasium.
It is the first time that more than three images share Summer Olympic mascot duty. The 2000 Sydney Games featured three animal mascots --Olly the Kookaburra, Syd the Platypus and Millie the Spiny Anteater.
"We decided to produce five mascots instead of one, because we think no single figure can embody China's profound and diversified culture," said Han Meilin, chief of the mascto designers' group.
Each of the Beijing Olympic mascots has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is theOlympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan antelope and Nini is the Swallow.
When their names are put together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni --they say "Welcome to Beijing".
The five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- can be found in their origins and headpieces, all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.
Each of the mascots also symbolizes a different blessing --prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge sent a letter of congratulation to the BOCOG.
"China is lucky to have so many beautiful animals to represent the Olympic spirit," said Rogge in the letter.
"I love them all. And I am delighted that they will carry traditional Chinese blessings all over the world.
"I believe that this little group of friends -- the carp, the panda, the flame, the antelope and the swallow -- will be extremely popular and will help to spread Olympic messages throughout the world," he added.
Many ordinary citizens expressed their surprise at the number of the mascots.
"I didn't expect that there will five mascots. It's a big surprise," said Henry Mok, a Candian-Chinese who works in Beijing.
"It's a bit surprising (to have five mascots), but if you lookat them as a whole, they are more complete than any single image," said Li Xiang, a public servant.
The unveiling of the Beijing Olympic mascots also ended a year-long race of hundreds of candidates.
Since the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) launched a worldwide solicitation in August last year,competition was hot as a handful of areas were vying to have their local symbols picked.
The country's western Qinghai province was pushing the endangered Tibetan antelope. Fujian province presented the South Chinatiger. Gansu favored the mythical dragon and Jiangsu promoted the legendary Monkey King.
Dozens of artists and designers were called to cut the initial list of mascot entrants from 662 to 56 and finally to six, with the final choice selected by the BOCOG. The IOC approved the choice in August.
The first mascot to appear at an Olympics was in the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, France. But Schuss the skier was not official. The first official mascot was Waldi the Dachshund, who appeared at the Munich Summer Games in 1972.
Mascots are the most marketable symbols in the Olympics business.The choice is important as sales of licensed products and helps organizers defray costs.
More than 300 kinds of licensed products bearing the mascot will go on sale at 188 authorized shops across China the day after the announcement, with prices ranging from one US dollar for a pen to thousands of dollars for a medal.
"The launch of the mascot will push sales of Olympic products to new heights," said Lai Ming, deputy director of BOCOG's marketing department.
"We believe the sales volume will be bigger than the previous Olympic Games."
Phevos and Athena, the big-footed sibling mascots of last year's Athens Olympics, generated profits of over 200 million US dollars. Enditem
Source : news.xinhuanet.com

Your China Travel Guide: How to Discover the Wonders of China

Author: Lola Adewoyin

Planning a tour to China, the largest and oldest country in the world is truly a must for anyone who wants to experience a unique travel adventure. China is known to have an ancient civilization which dates back to some thousand years ago and this is one of the reasons why China has a rich and unique culture full of historical values.

As a popular tourist destination in the Far East, China has a lot of wonderful attractions, sightseeing and historical wonders for the enthusiastic travelers who want to discover the true beauty of China. The best times to visit China is usually during May and September as these periods offer good weather conditions for visiting.

In order to enjoy your travel plans in China, it is advisable to consult the services of a reputable China tour agency. They are responsible for planning your entire trip from the moment you arrive in the airport till the day you depart. They also provide the hotel accommodations and other transportation facilities throughout your stay in China. To make your stay a successful one, they assign a bilingual local tourist guide to assist and guide you through your tours around the country. A fascinating thing about the travel wonders of China is that for every sightseeing and attraction, there is a historical or cultural origin behind it.

Beijing, the country’s capital boasts of over 30 sightseeing and attractions out of which include the famous Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs and a variety of others. Beijing is usually the first city tourists visit due to their excitement to see the great wall. In general, Beijing is known to be a historical city because of the many monuments and attractions which played a great role in China’s civilization and still remains as it was since over five hundred years.

Yunnan, the international tourist destination is a province in China favorable to many international tourists because of its pleasant climate. Apart from the climatic conditions, Yunnan boasts of a number of cities with scenic and beautiful landscapes which makes for a great place for nature lovers on a getaway from the bustling streets of city. From the spring city of Kunming, to the old town of Lijiang and Dali, Yunnan is the perfect getaway for tourists who want to appreciate the natural endowments of China’s sceneries and landscapes.

A tour to Tibet, the pilgrimage destination of Buddhists can also be included in your tour itinerary during your travel in China. Tibet is considered to be the rooftops of the world because of the high elevation of its geographical location. The tourism of this region has flourished in recent years due to the opening of the Tibet-Qinghai high speed rail which connects Beijing to Lhasa. Amateur fanatics of mythical train journeys can finally have their dreams come true as they speed on top of the world to experience some peace in the Tibetan Kingdom.

Guilin and Yangshuo is the backpacking capital of China. With its special breath taking sceneries and caves, this town has opened the opportunity to mountaineers and backpackers who want to discover the hidden wonders of China.

Shanghai is one of China’s cosmopolitan cities which showcase a blend of modernity and history. The first class skyscrapers and Ming styled architecture of Shanghai buildings is what attract visitors to this bustling city. Shanghai also known as the “Oriental Paris” is the best place to shop for all kinds of branded shoes, clothes, jewelries and gifts from first class to low quality in almost any type of store.

Harbin is the magical ice world of China. Located in the north of China, this region is synonymous for the annual celebration of the Harbin Ice Festival which attracts visitors from all over the world to participate in the magnificent showcase of legendary ice sculptures and carvings.

Xian is one of China’s ancient cities where civilization started. It has grown to become an industrial and tourist destination which proudly boasts of the site of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Terracotta Army and Warriors.

China is known to house twenty four heritage sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. These cultural treasures are a part of what contributes to China’s history.



To get more information about China Travel,China Tour Vacations, visit Passport to China.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/your-china-travel-guide-how-to-discover-the-wonders-of-china-120320.html

About the Author:
Lola writes about travel and adventure tours for China Tour and Travels a foreign inbound tour operator in China

China Great Wall

China Great Wall ToursBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy]Max Bellamy
The Great Wall of China, one of the most appealing attractions of China and one of the greatest wonders of the world, was constructed by the Vassal states under Zhou Dynasty for defense purposes. The construction began during 7th century B.C. and was completed between the 14th and 17th centuries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the Great Wall of China as the World Heritage in 1987.
Once the state of Qin was unified with China, China joined all the walls to impede invaders from northern China and extended them to more than 10000 li, which is equal to 5000 kilometers. Like a Chinese holistic dragon with a zigzag shape, the Great Wall of China stretches across mountains, plateaus, deserts, rivers and grasslands with a length of almost 6,700 kilometers. It is over 2000 years old and runs from East China to West China. Unfortunately, portions of the wall are in ruins due to lack of interest on the part of the Chinese Government. This magnificent piece of Chinese history touches the provinces of Shanhaiguan Pass, Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and finally ends in Jiayuguan Pass.
China tour operators like Beijingguide.com, Chinahiking.com, and Orientaltravel.com etc various tours to the Great Wall of China at discount prices and outstanding services. Tourists stay at the beautiful places near the wall like Jinshanling and Simatai, where there are restaurants, guest houses, shops and transportation agencies. The entire Great Wall of China can be broadly divided into four popular sites namely Badaling, Mutianya, Simatai and Shixiaguan. Of these, Simatai is the steeper portion of the Wall. Generally May and October are ideal months for touring. [http://www.e-chinatours.com]China Tours provides detailed information on China Bicycle Tours, China Great Wall Tours, China Guided Tours, China Tour Operators and more. China Tours is affiliated with [http://www.i-ChinaTravel.com]China Travel Services.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy http://EzineArticles.com/?China-Great-Wall-Tours&id=206679

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, and the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.
Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms[1] and covers 720,000 square metres. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture,[2] and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987,[2] and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.
Since 1924, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artefacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Part of the museum's former collection is now located in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both museums descend from the same institution, but were split after the Chinese Civil War.

Source : wikipedia.org

2008 Olympic Games

Author: James William Smith
The Games of the XXIX Olympiad are now less than a year away, with the opening ceremonies scheduled to begin in the host city of Beijing, China on August 8, 2008. The Olympic games will be held between August 8, 2008 and August 24, 2008 in Beijing and surrounding cities. The games will feature three hundred two events covering twenty eight sports.

Nine new Olympic events are scheduled to be held in 2008. There will be two new events in cycling, and women will compete in the 3000m steeplechase for the first time. In addition, marathon swimming events for men and women, will be added to the swimming competition. Team events in table tennis will replace the doubles events.

Since December, 2003, Beijing has been preparing for the arrival of the Olympic games with the construction of thirty one venues. The most prominent venues are the Beijing National Stadium and Beijing National Aquatics Centre. Other important venues include the Olympic Green Convention Centre, Olympic Green, Beijing National Indoor Stadium, and Beijing Wukesong Cultural And Sports Center.

The opening and closing ceremonies and some of the athletic events (including soccer) will be held in the newly constructed Beijing National Stadium which is also known as “The Birds Nest”. The nickname for the structure is due to its design which appears to be a birds nest sitting on top of a concrete structure. The stadium will seat over eighty thousand people for the games and ceremonies.

The Beijing National Aquatics Centre is also known as the “Water Cube.” The “Water Cube” will be the venue for swimming and diving for the Games. The Beijing National Aquatics Center is an award winning venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. It was recognized by Popular Science in 2006, for “ Best of What’s New in Engineering”, and in 2004 it achieved an award for “Most Accomplished Work (Atmosphere section) “ by Venice Biennale.

The structure of the Water Cube is based on unique, lightweight, construction from panels of a form of Teflon, that allows more light and heat penetration than glass and transforms the building into an energy-efficient greenhouse-like environment. Indeed, solar energy will also be used to heat the swimming pools, which are designed to reuse double-filtered, backwashed pool water that's usually dumped as waste.

Excess rainwater will also be collected and stored in subterranean tanks and used to fill the pools. The Centre is shaped like a square box with interior designs that are carved out of a cluster of foam bubbles. The overall design makes the Centre appear like a cube of water bubbles.

In addition to the venues, the environment will certainly be a factor in the 2008 Olympic Games. The air pollution in China is at least two to three times higher than what is deemed safe by the World Heath Organization. Endurance sports may see a decline in overall performance due to air pollution and the August heat in Beijing. In fact, athletes from several countries already have indicated that they will arrive immediately prior to the games to limit their exposure to the negative air quality in Beijing.

Politics always plays a role in the Olympic Games, and 2008 will not be an exception especially since China is the host country. Already, there are several groups that are making news protesting Chinese violations of human rights and free speech as follows:

“Human Rights Watch “and “Amnesty International” both have released reports that denounce China as failing to honor its Olympic obligations on human rights.

“The Committee to Protect Journalists” said China was still impeding foreign journalists and jailing domestic ones, despite promises to allow reporting.

“Reporters Without Borders” managed to stage a protest in Beijing, only to see the police briefly detain the foreign journalists covering it.

With human rights and free speech problematic issues for China, these type of protests will only grow stronger as the Olympic Games approach.

The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China are destined to have the excitement of world class summer sports competition, the showmanship of the opening and closing ceremonies, award winning venues, new competitive Olympic events, human rights politics, and the conflict between man and his environment.

The Olympic torch arrives at Beijing National Stadium on August 8, 2008. Mark that date on your calendar, because the Games of the XXIX Olympiad may well be a show you don’t want to miss.

http://www.eworldvu.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/2008-olympic-games-229693.html
About the Author:James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com