Next year Beijing Olympics will see 50 Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries-powered buses transporting officials and athletes between 3 Olympic venues. The use of these “rechargable” vehicles is an effort to make Beijing 2008 a Green Olympics.

The buses will be used in three loop lines in the Olympic village, the northern area of arena and the press village.

Beijing Olympics can be used as a platform to promote Greeniness.

Via China Daily

On August 19, 7.00pm Sunday, there’ll be a Beijing Olympic Concert in San Francisco featuring top Chinese entertainers, singers and sportsmen.

Date & Time: Sunday night, August 19,2007 @ 7:00pm
Venue Location: Cow Palace2600 Geneva Ave, San Francisco, CA 94134
Office:
Ticket Prices: VIP $168, $88, $68, $48, $28
TICKET INFO HOTLINE:

More info @ aznconcerts

Two Olympic facilities, Beijing Shooting Range Hall and the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, have completed. The 8600-capacity shooting range hall will witness the first Olympics gold medal being presented. The other sports venue, the Shunyi water park, will host a number of water competitions such as rowing, marathon swimming, canoeing and kayaking.

Via Xinhua News

A 17-year-old India teenager, Sufyan Sheikh, has set his eyes on the Olympics 10km marathon (men) swimming event.

“My aim is to qualify for the 10-kilometre marathon event for men at the Olympics in Beijing next year,” said the teenager, Sufyan Sheikh, who has a penchant for long-distance swimming.

Marathon is always mind over body.

Via The Hindu News

Asian high jump champion, Lee Hup Wei, sets his goal to qualify for a place in the Beijing Olympics 2008 and bring pride to Malaysia. His personal best is 2.24m which was set in the Asian Track and Field (ATF) championships.

The qualifying mark under category B is 2.27m while for category A is 2.30m. Hup Wei improved tremendously after tough three months of intensive training under Cuban coach Antonio Yznaga Ibar.

The Olympics is where Hup Wei can prove his mettle.

Via The Star

The media, advertising and public relations sectors in China and Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan) are looking for more talents to fill in positions as the Beijing Olympic Games is drawing near. International and local (China) sponsors are looking ways to maximize their sponsorship dollars in the Games. Advertisers are also more interested in online and mobile medium now as compared to the previous Olympic games. These activities have in turn drive a need for qualified talents.

Much of this growth is driven by the demand for Olympics-related marketing and publicity projects, which are now moving into the implementation phase.

Job creation is certainly caused by the Olympic Effect.

Via Xinhua News

In a recent interview with Michael Zhang, managing director of MediaCom China, by Interfax China, Mr Zhang revealed the possible effects that the Beijing Olympics has on the new media (Internet, 3G and 4G handphones, digital TV, IPTV). He also prompted that opportunities are abundant in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and smaller cities.

The Beijing Olympics will ignite a chain reaction, promoting the development of China in all fields, such as tourism, media, marketing and the car industry. The Olympic effect of inviting great market opportunities will last at least one to two years, creating an insurmountable boon for the years to come.

After the Olympics, I’m sure the world will take notice of China.

Via Interfax China

China is Sudan’s largest oil customer and supporter. However, the Darfur region of Sudan is plagued by war and genocide. Director Steven Spielberg adds some pressure on China by expressing that he may quit the post of artistic adviser of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Spielberg wrote an open letter to Hu Jintao, president of China. “I am writing this letter to you, not as one of the overseas artistic advisors to the Olympic Ceremonies, but as a private citizen who has made a personal commitment to do all I can to oppose genocide. 鈥� Accordingly, I add my voice to those who ask that China change its policy toward Sudan and pressure the Sudanese government to accept the entrance of United Nations peacekeepers to protect the victims of genocide in Darfur,” Spielberg wrote.

No one likes war and I believe China can really do something about the Darfur genocide. Peace man.

Via ABC News

Sailors dread one thing in sailing competitions and that is…no wind. For Beijing Olympics sailing competition that will be taking place in Qingdao, China, the officials have made a point to keep the sailors happy by simply changing the competition schedule if necessary.

Zang Aimin, Executive Vice-President of the Sailing Committee of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, said they have studied the weather in recent years in order to take measures to ensure competition to go smoothly.

No wind, no medal, eh?

Via China Daily

A 2008-piece international band which includes artists and performers from 40 countries will be one of the highlights in next year Beijing Olympics. Band from Mackay North State High School is one the Australian school bands selected for the event.

Students who participate will have a role in the opening ceremony, march along the Great Wall of China, stay in the “Orchestra Village” and play repeatedly to audiences of at least 5000 people in the lead-up to the Olympics.

All the best to them!

Via Daily Mercury