Facebook has announced a dedicated portal for London 2012 to allow fans to "connect with their favourite Olympians" at the Games.
The section features dedicated pages for athletes and sports, including a complete timeline history of the competition since the 1800s.
The IOC said the portal would create a "social media stadium".
However, restrictions on what athletes can or cannot post will restrict some content from being published.
Participants are subject to tight guidelines over content posted on Facebook and Twitter, particularly in relation to brands and broadcasting deals.
It restricts the posting of any video from within an Olympic venue.
'Ambush'Mark Adams, from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that while visitors to the Games would be able to post videos and stills, athletes' activities would be curbed.
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End Quote Boris BeckerIt's impossible to think all day and all night about the next match, interacting with fans is a good thing”
"It depends on where they are," he said.
"If they're in a stadium, they can't. We have a relationship with various broadcasters around the world which provides the funding [for the Games]."
In addition, he said, the IOC would be watching for any attempted "ambush" marketing.
"It's something we always have to keep in our mind," he said.
"It does take away money from the Olympic movement. It's something that we have to protect."
Facebook, which announced the portal at its central London offices, said it hoped the portal would mean Olympics fans could interact with athletes in a way that had not been possible in previous Games.
Alex Balfour, from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) said there was now a "perfect storm" of technology to allow a "really rich experience" wherever fans were in the world.
"We want make sure our Games is available to that new audience of digital consumers," he added.
Facebook said it would allow fans to use the network to discover footage of their favourite athletes - but some content would be geo-targeted, meaning certain footage might not be available in certain regions of the world.
Mr Adams admitted that the IOC had been slow to adopt social networking, but was now ready to embrace it for London 2012.
"The way I like to think about the IOC and our relationship with social media is that the Olympics is one of the oldest social networks that has ever been.
"Everyone has an experience and shares that experience with their friends and their family - everyone has an emotional attachment to the Games. We're just digitising that experience."
Hot waterFormer world tennis number one and Olympic gold medallist Boris Becker told the BBC that using social media could help athletes prepare.
"It's very positive. It gives athletes the chance to get real opinions and real questions and to answer back.
"It's fun - everyone's online anyway. It's impossible to think all day and all night about the next match, interacting with fans is a good thing."
However, he warned that it was inevitable that some athletes might not think before they tweeted and so land themselves in hot water during the Games.
"The world and people are not perfect," he said.
"There will always be athletes who will take it out of line, but that doesn't mean that the platform is wrong."
London 2012 Olympics Top 10 Olympic retreats - Daily Mirror
Lucky enough to have Olympics tickets but don’t fancy staying in the city?
These rural retreats are a quick train ride from the centre of the action...
1. Log House Holidays, Cirencester, Gloucs - 80 minutes (Kemble-Paddington)
It may be more than an hour from London but it’s worth going the distance. Log House Holidays offers six traditional Finnish wooden houses on a beautiful 120-acre lake in the heart of the Cotswolds. They sleep from four to eight people with kitchen/dining areas and open-plan living rooms with wood-burning stoves. But you will probably spend most of your time on the verandah lapping up the magnificent views and relaxing in your own private hot tub, or taking a quick turn round the lake in the house’s own rowing boat.
Book it: Four nights from £800 - available on selected dates from July 29 to August 12.
2. Looking Glass Cottage, Brighton, East Sussex - 50 mins by train (Brighton-Victoria)
Tucked down a quiet lane in Brighton’s South Lanes shopping district, this 16th century cottage is said to be the oldest house in the city. It has serious wow-factor... it’s like walking on to the set of a glam Alice in Wonderland-themed photo shoot, from the playing card wallpaper to the mirrored ceilings. It sleeps up to eight in three double bedrooms plus the leather sofa bed in the lounge.
Book it: Three-night weekend break from £860 on selected dates from July 27 to August 16.
3. Little Paddock near Maldon, Essex - 50 minutes (South Woodham Ferrers-Liverpool Street, change at Shenfield)
This beautiful cottage is set between two rivers in the sleepy village of Purleigh, in the heart of a stunning but little-known part of the Essex countryside. Sleeping up to eight, it is spacious but homely, with vaulted ceilings, walls adorned with artwork and a woodburner in the sitting room, which has double French windows leading on to the garden. The surrounding countryside is ideal for walking, cycling or birdwatching. There is also a vineyard within walking distance which offers wine-tasting – perfect for toasting the medal-winners.
Book it: Four nights from £872 through cottages4you (ref: 26631) - available from July 27 to August 2.
4. Olney Cottage, Olney, Bucks - 50 minutes (Bedford-St Pancras Int)
Bed down in this refurbished stone cottage, perched at the end of the high street in a stylish market town bustling with boutiques, delis, cafés and the market square. The cottage sleeps up to four (one double, one twin), and has a sitting/dining room filled with bright colours and stylish furnishings. It also has a private enclosed garden. After a hard day cheering on the athletes treat yourself to dinner at one of Olney’s many inns and restaurants.
Book it: Seven nights from £692 through Hoseasons (Ref: E4773) - available July 27 and August 10.
5. Eastwell Mews Cottages, Ashford, Kent - 40 minutes (Ashford-St Pancras Int)
The Eastwell Manor Hotel is set on a 3,000 acre estate in Kent’s North Downs. The manor house rooms are stunning but the mews cottages, converted from a former stable block, are perfect for an affordable summer weekend away. With one, two or three bedrooms, they each have a kitchen and living area. Guests can use the manor facilities, including its spa, golf course and tennis court – perfect if you are inspired by the Olympic action.
Book it: Two-night weekend break in a one-bedroom cottage from £360 including breakfast - available on selected dates from July 27 to August 19.
6. Church Farm Oast South, Horsmonden, Kent - One hour (Staplehurst-Charing Cross)
Looking for something a bit different? Check out this newly-converted Grade II-listed oast house with Freedom Holiday Homes. Bright and spacious, it sleeps up to six and has a sitting room in the roundel of the oast (where the hops were dried). There is original art on the walls, antique armchairs and a record player. It also has a kitchen/dining room, but if you’re lucky with the weather dine al fresco on the wraparound balcony, which has magnificent views across rolling farmland.
Book it: Seven nights from £782 - available from July 20 to August 17.
7. Ghyll Cottage, Rusper, West Sussex - 55 minutes (Horsham-Victoria/London Bridge)
Ghyll Cottage is a recently-refurbished 17th century cottage opposite the church in the pretty village of Rusper. Set across two floors, it sleeps up to six with two bedrooms (one double, one twin, plus a sofa bed), as well as a galley-style kitchen, cosy lounge and dining area, all featuring original exposed beams and elegant furnishings. You also have the use of a secluded private garden and tennis courts, set in Ghyll Manor Country House Hotel’s 40 acres of landscaped gardens.
Book it: Four nights from £678 - available from August 5 to 10.
8. The Granary, Blackham, East Sussex - 50 minutes (Ashurst-London Bridge)
Perched on the edge of the Kent and East Sussex borders, with gorgeous views across open countryside, this stylishly-converted granary couldn’t feel further away from the hustle and bustle of London. It sleeps up to four and has a beamed living room with a wood-burning stove and flagstone floor, as well as a dining room – just the spot for a post-Olympics feast. There’s a pub and restaurant half a mile away, too. The next morning, get your boots on for a walk through the surrounding countryside (look out for deer – they like to roam this spot in summer).
Book it: Seven nights from £757 through Cottages4you - available August 4.
9. Westley Mill Barn, Windsor, Berks - 55 minutes (Windsor-Waterloo)
Fancy staying in your own converted barn, set in 11 acres of private grounds? Westley Mill Barn lets you do just that. Sleeping two, it has a galleried feel, with the bedroom overlooking the lounge through a glass balustrade. If you’re feeling athletic, try one of the many walking routes in the area.
Book it: Two nights from £300 through Holiday Lettings (ref: 225856) - available August 6 to 19.
10. Cooters, Petersfield, Hants - One hour (Petersfield-Waterloo)
Perfect for couples looking to combine watching the Olympics with some summer rambling, this cabin-style cottage is set in the grounds of Down Park Farm in the heart of the South Downs. The cottage has been lovingly converted from stables and features an en-suite bedroom plus an open-plan living area with a well-equipped kitchen. Outside there is a seating area overlooking a delightful woodland... perfect for kicking back with a G&T after a long day in the capital.
Book it: Seven nights from £375 through Holiday Lettings (ref: 155683) - available from July 27 to August 19.
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Great News For Vauxhall In Britain - PRLog (free press release)
Vauxhall dealer group – Northern Motors – with branches located in Harrow, Ruislip and Watford are delighted with Vauxhall’s recent announcement that the next-generation Astra compact car will continue to be built at the manufacturing plant, Ellesmere Port, in Cheshire. In future, Ellesmere Port will be the lead plant of only two in Europe building the new model.
The decision follows the conclusion of a groundbreaking new labour agreement recently approved by the Vauxhall workforce. The agreement comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra – into the early 2020’s. As part of the agreement, the plant will implement a number of creative operating solutions to improve flexibility, reduce fixed-costs and significantly improve its competitiveness. Ellesmere Port plant will become one of the most competitive plants in the Vauxhall/Opel manufacturing network.
In addition to creation of 700 plus jobs, Vauxhall will create investment locally via use of local suppliers and in the UK overall.
Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director, Duncan Aldred, said: “This is great news for the Ellesmere Port plant, our employees, the local community, our suppliers, the Vauxhall brand and the UK. We have been able to develop a responsible labour agreement that secures the plant’s future.
With Ellesmere Port’s proven build quality and a new agreement that ensures excellent cost competitiveness, this facility will provide additional employment and, as the lead plant for the next-generation Astra, will be one of the cornerstones of our European manufacturing footprint.”
In 2007, Ellesmere Port became the first UK manufacturing plant to receive the Energy Efficiency Accreditation and in 2010 became the first European manufacturing plant to achieve the Wildlife Habitat Accreditation.
For further information, visit www.northernmotors.co.uk, www.facebook.com/
Andy White, Sales Manager at Northern Motors Watford, tel: 01923 813000
Derek Williams, Sales Manager at Northern Motors Harrow, tel: 0208 427 4444.
New buyers may lift London art sales to $1 billion - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - London's art market is attracting the lion's share of business from an emerging class of super-wealthy collectors from Russia, the Middle East and China, and they are likely to be a big factor in a summer season of sales valued at up to $1 billion (640 million pounds).
Christie's, Sotheby's and smaller rivals like Phillips de Pury hold a three-week series of auctions featuring works by artists as diverse as Rembrandt, Renoir and Gerhard Richter.
Euro zone turmoil and slowing Chinese economic growth are giving investors the jitters, yet the high-end art market has defied gravity on a record-breaking streak.
New York has long been considered the global capital of the auction world -- most recent records have been set there, including the $120 million paid for Edvard Munch's "The Scream" at a Sotheby's sale in May.
London, a more natural fit for Russian tycoons who have homes in the city and Middle Eastern buyers just a mid-haul flight away, may be closing that gap.
Sotheby's has calculated that, while the number of lots sold to buyers from "new" markets has risen in both cities so far this year, the increase has been far more marked in London (33 percent) than New York (six percent).
"Particularly the Russians feel very comfortable bidding in the London sales as many of them have second homes and are very active here," said Helena Newman, chairman of Sotheby's impressionist and modern art department in Europe.
"I think that because of our geographic situation, we are the gateway to the East ... Central Asia, the Middle East and the East," she told Reuters at the company's London headquarters where star lots from the upcoming sales were on display.
"We definitely see that in the sales of recent years. It is a growing trend."
BILLION-DOLLAR BONANZA?
Beyond bragging rights, auctioneers are not overly concerned with who buys what where. Key lots for sale in London come from the United States, for example, and the market overall has become more globalised.
One of the prize lots of the season is English artist John Constable's "The Lock", being offered by Christie's for 20-25 million pounds and the only one of a series of six important landscapes by the painter to be in private hands.
It goes under the hammer on July 3 and should eclipse the 10.8 million pounds raised when it was sold in 1990 - a British painting record it held for 16 years.
On the same night, Rembrandt's "A Man in a Gorget and Cap" is on course to raise 8-12 million pounds.
On Wednesday, a Renoir nude is set to fetch 12-18 million pounds and the next week the same auctioneer offers Yves Klein's "Le Rose du Bleu", estimated at 17-20 million pounds and Francis Bacon's "Study For Self-Portrait" (1964) (15-20 million).
Christie's, the world's largest auction house, expects to raise at least 310 million pounds from its sales of impressionist, modern, contemporary art as well as those of British paintings and Old Masters.
The upper estimate is closer to 500 million pounds, and combined with Sotheby's low target of 210 million pounds, a billion-dollar art bonanza looks within reach.
"The four week summer season of major international auctions at Christie's ... is set to become one of the richest and most valuable series of auctions in company history," said Jussi Pylkkanen, head of Christie's Europe.
MIRO RECORD IN SIGHT
At Sotheby's, the top work of the season could be Joan Miro's "Peinture (Etoile Bleue), valued at 15-20 million pounds and in sight of the artist record set this year of 16.8 million.
Its appearance so soon after the February record is no coincidence -- auction houses tailor sales to reflect the latest tastes, and the Miro, along with works by Henry Moore and Surrealist Paul Delvaux, all follow recent auction highs.
The prominence of large, colourful, figurative works at Sotheby's, including Kees van Dongen's "Lailla", Marc Chagall's "L'Arbre de Jesse" and Delvaux's "Deux Femmes couchees", also reflects emerging market tastes.
Soaring prices for coveted works of art at a time of global economic uncertainty have long prompted warnings of a sharp correction and even collapse, but time and again in the last three years the market has defied the gloomiest predictions.
There has been weakening in Chinese demand and tastes can be fickle, but the very best works of art have generally risen in value since a sharp but brief drop in auction turnover in 2009.
The contraction was as much a reflection of sellers backing away as of falling demand, experts say, and auction houses believe they are back in a "virtuous cycle" of rising prices in turn attracting the very best works on to the market.
Institutional acquisitions have also played a key role in the recovery, with Qatar emerging as one of the biggest buyers of art in recent years as it fills a growing network of museums.
Widespread reports said the Gulf state paid $250 million for Paul Cezanne's "The Card Players" in a private deal, believed to be the highest price ever paid for a work of art.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
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