And the winning city, hosting the 2012 Olympic Games is... Cue: sharp intake of breath from everyone across the globe and a long, dramatic pause from the man on the stage... London.
Whilst Paris wept, London, in the main, rejoiced. There were winners and losers in London and the UK too. The tax payers saw their money go on Olympic villages and stadiums. In hindsight, the Olympics was probably a better use of tax payers money than over exuberant MP expenses on bizarre whims.
But the big winners were those charged with actually making it happen. These lucky people are getting to build a dynasty for the Stratford and the East End of London which will stand for many years to come. And they're getting paid for it too. Then there's the ripple effect as so many industries feel the benefit. The benefits of the Olympics can have far reaching positives that stretch deep into the whole economy. As an example, looking beyond the obvious, there's a huge demand for skilled labour - so think of the recruitment companies, safety equipment, clothing manufacturers and training companies involved. Virtually every company within these sectors can experience growth and with that wonderful stepping-stone now in place, that expansion can continue long after the sound of winners' national anthems have died out.
Imagine the demand for something as critical as plumbing courses, electrical courses and gas courses. Without these, there'd be no skilled labour, and without that, there'd be no Olympic games. A sobering thought.
The reality is that, despite the negativity expressed in the tabloids, the Olympics is far more than just about taxpayers money, it's about jobs, growth, economic expansion and of course gold medals. The world's focus will be on London in 2012. That kind of PR for tourism alone is worth billions, although it's largely ignored in the calculations of financial types fascinated more by the short-term chase for £-signs than the deeper-rooted feel-good-factor of a nation.
The recession has bitten many, but many believe that once achieving growth in a recession can place a company in a better position once the economic comes back from the brink. With the natural economic expansion occurring around 2012, the future appears brighter for many of our companies in related (and many unrelated) industries.
So in summary, even though the outlay may initially seem high, it's worth considering how big an impact the winning of a few gold medals has on a nation, its businesses, its employees and therefore our public.
Paul Keene works together with OLCI Construction Training who offer a range of electrical, gas and [http://www.olci.info/]plumbing courses from their 13 national training centres.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Henry_Keene http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Olympic-Games---Beyond-the-Tabloid-Scaremongering&id=2499355
Friday, October 16, 2009
The History of Sports Uniforms
It's time to play ball! Your favorite team takes the field. You love the colors of the uniform and the cool mascot on the jersey. Have you ever wondered what some team colors mean and how their uniforms were chosen? Here are the histories behind the uniforms of some sports teams.
Duke University's Blue Devils
During World War I, the Chasseurs Alpins, also knows as "les Diables Bleus," were popular French soldiers who gained attention when their unique skills were relied upon to bring an end to trench warfare in their native region of the French Alps. Their presence didn't affect the cause that much but the Blue Devils were recognized for their courage, and their unique blue uniform with flowing cape and beret captivated the public interest. After the United States entered the war, some units of the French Blue Devils helped to raise money for the war effort by touring the country. Trinity College, now know as Duke University, chose the Blue Devils mascot and blue/white colors from nominations that included Blue Titans, Polar Bears, Royal Blazes and Blue Warriors.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers, originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates, changed their name to generate fan support since the steel industry was the city's primary source of employment. In 1962, Republic Steel of Cleveland asked the Steelers to use the Steelmark, the logo used by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), to honor the Pittsburgh steel heritage. The logo's colors represent the three materials used to produce steel: orange for iron ore, yellow for coal and blue for steel scrap. The Steelers are the only NFL team to sport its logo on only one side of the helmet.
Anaheim Ducks
How did a hockey team choose the "Ducks" for its uniforms? The Mighty Ducks were actually founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company. The team's name was chosen from the popular Disney movie The Mighty Ducks, a story about a group of troubled kids that turned their losing youth hockey team around and became winners. Disney created an animated series called Mighty Ducks that included a fictional Mighty Ducks of Anaheim team. The real team uses the Mighty Ducks logo on its uniforms to this day.
Other quick [http://www.unifirst.com]uniform facts:
• The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first baseball team to wear knickers instead of pants. The reason for this choice was to show off the team's high red socks that had been designed by the owner's wife.
• In 1976, the Chicago White Sox wore shorts during the first game of a doubleheader. The players hated the shorts so much that they all switched back to pants for the night game.
Crystal is an Account Manager with Location3 Media.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Crystal_Ware http://EzineArticles.com/?The-History-of-Sports-Uniforms&id=2526519
Duke University's Blue Devils
During World War I, the Chasseurs Alpins, also knows as "les Diables Bleus," were popular French soldiers who gained attention when their unique skills were relied upon to bring an end to trench warfare in their native region of the French Alps. Their presence didn't affect the cause that much but the Blue Devils were recognized for their courage, and their unique blue uniform with flowing cape and beret captivated the public interest. After the United States entered the war, some units of the French Blue Devils helped to raise money for the war effort by touring the country. Trinity College, now know as Duke University, chose the Blue Devils mascot and blue/white colors from nominations that included Blue Titans, Polar Bears, Royal Blazes and Blue Warriors.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers, originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates, changed their name to generate fan support since the steel industry was the city's primary source of employment. In 1962, Republic Steel of Cleveland asked the Steelers to use the Steelmark, the logo used by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), to honor the Pittsburgh steel heritage. The logo's colors represent the three materials used to produce steel: orange for iron ore, yellow for coal and blue for steel scrap. The Steelers are the only NFL team to sport its logo on only one side of the helmet.
Anaheim Ducks
How did a hockey team choose the "Ducks" for its uniforms? The Mighty Ducks were actually founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company. The team's name was chosen from the popular Disney movie The Mighty Ducks, a story about a group of troubled kids that turned their losing youth hockey team around and became winners. Disney created an animated series called Mighty Ducks that included a fictional Mighty Ducks of Anaheim team. The real team uses the Mighty Ducks logo on its uniforms to this day.
Other quick [http://www.unifirst.com]uniform facts:
• The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first baseball team to wear knickers instead of pants. The reason for this choice was to show off the team's high red socks that had been designed by the owner's wife.
• In 1976, the Chicago White Sox wore shorts during the first game of a doubleheader. The players hated the shorts so much that they all switched back to pants for the night game.
Crystal is an Account Manager with Location3 Media.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Crystal_Ware http://EzineArticles.com/?The-History-of-Sports-Uniforms&id=2526519
The Fascinating History of Handball
Variations on the game of handball have been played all over the world for thousands of years. Known as one of the oldest ball games, handball was played in Egypt over four thousand years ago, in ancient Rome, and by many South American cultures.
The ancient Egyptians played a variety of ball games. Drawings of Egyptians playing handball have been found decorating five thousand year old tombs at Saqqara, which depict girls in teams of two playing the game. Balls used in Egyptian handballs were designed to be both light and durable – they were made of a leather skin stuffed with hay or other plant fibers such as papyrus.
In the Roman Empire, the game was called expulsim ludere, and was played on courts called sphaeristas. Alexander the Great is said to have been responsible for spreading the game amongst Greek colonies in Italy in the first millennium BC, and from there it spread to other countries of the Roman Empire. Details of how the game was played during this era are sketchy, but it is believed it was similar to what is known today as one-wall handball.
In France during the Middle Ages, the game was called jeux de paume (palm play) and was popular with both nobility and peasants. The ball was made from pieces of tightly-rolled cloth stitched together, and as the game evolved gloves were used to allow more forceful hitting of the ball. This form of handball is thought to be an early precursor of tennis – as the game evolved in France, players began to use larger and larger gloves, until eventually they began to use items which resembled early tennis racquets.
In America, handball is over three thousand years old, and originated in Mexico. Handball players are depicted on painted pottery items, sculptures, and wall paintings found at archeological sites in many parts of Central America. Of the games played by these ancient civilizations, the one which most closely resembles modern handball is Rebotea a mano con pelota dura, or “Hardball pelota rebounded with the hand”. This game was played by the Chichimeca people, on courts measuring 20 feet by 40 feet. Many ancient ruins sites in Central America contain such courts, and together with the multitude of art which depicts the game, indicates that it was an important part of life for these ancient cultures.
These days, handball is an increasingly popular sport – it has become part of the Olympic Games, and many international tournaments are dedicated to handball – not surprisingly, the Egyptian team is known to be very talented, perhaps because of all the civilizations in the world, they have been playing it the longest!
Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.
Dr. Josef Reindl is doing research in sports and sports equipment. He is owner of http://www.sport-bandagen-doc.de where sports bandages and sports clothes are available. He is also running http://www.handball-nachrichten.de and http://www.basketball-nachrichten.de where he publishes daily news on handball and basketball.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Josef_Reindl http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Fascinating-History-of-Handball&id=316833
The ancient Egyptians played a variety of ball games. Drawings of Egyptians playing handball have been found decorating five thousand year old tombs at Saqqara, which depict girls in teams of two playing the game. Balls used in Egyptian handballs were designed to be both light and durable – they were made of a leather skin stuffed with hay or other plant fibers such as papyrus.
In the Roman Empire, the game was called expulsim ludere, and was played on courts called sphaeristas. Alexander the Great is said to have been responsible for spreading the game amongst Greek colonies in Italy in the first millennium BC, and from there it spread to other countries of the Roman Empire. Details of how the game was played during this era are sketchy, but it is believed it was similar to what is known today as one-wall handball.
In France during the Middle Ages, the game was called jeux de paume (palm play) and was popular with both nobility and peasants. The ball was made from pieces of tightly-rolled cloth stitched together, and as the game evolved gloves were used to allow more forceful hitting of the ball. This form of handball is thought to be an early precursor of tennis – as the game evolved in France, players began to use larger and larger gloves, until eventually they began to use items which resembled early tennis racquets.
In America, handball is over three thousand years old, and originated in Mexico. Handball players are depicted on painted pottery items, sculptures, and wall paintings found at archeological sites in many parts of Central America. Of the games played by these ancient civilizations, the one which most closely resembles modern handball is Rebotea a mano con pelota dura, or “Hardball pelota rebounded with the hand”. This game was played by the Chichimeca people, on courts measuring 20 feet by 40 feet. Many ancient ruins sites in Central America contain such courts, and together with the multitude of art which depicts the game, indicates that it was an important part of life for these ancient cultures.
These days, handball is an increasingly popular sport – it has become part of the Olympic Games, and many international tournaments are dedicated to handball – not surprisingly, the Egyptian team is known to be very talented, perhaps because of all the civilizations in the world, they have been playing it the longest!
Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.
Dr. Josef Reindl is doing research in sports and sports equipment. He is owner of http://www.sport-bandagen-doc.de where sports bandages and sports clothes are available. He is also running http://www.handball-nachrichten.de and http://www.basketball-nachrichten.de where he publishes daily news on handball and basketball.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Josef_Reindl http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Fascinating-History-of-Handball&id=316833
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