Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Taking a break...
Monday, July 30, 2012
Danny Boyle tweeted 'Proud to be British'
Danny Boyle dedicates Olympics Opening Ceremony to his father
Director Danny Boyle dedicated the spectacular Olympics Opening Ceremony to his late father. ‘It’s my dad’s birthday today and when I took this job, I took it for lots of reasons,’ the Oscar-winning director said. ‘I took it because my dad was a mad Olympics fan, seriously a lunatic, and introduced me to the Olympics.’ The director later took to Twitter to thank everybody involved in the ceremony. He also tweeted during the ceremony, saying he was ‘proud to be British’ and later adding, ‘I just want to take a moment to thank everyone involved tonight, couldn’t have worked without you. Thank you, thank you so much.’ Read more... Twitter also went wild for Danny Boyle's OOC (you can read some of the tweets here) and BBC registered the largest audience for a decade. 'It's magical! Never has our nation seen its story told so passionately, poignantly and originally', in The Mirror. You can read more press reviews on Boyle's OOC here, as well. As the smoke settles over the Olympic Stadium, spectators give their reaction to Danny Boyle's 'superb' opening ceremony as London 2012 officially gets underway. Watch the video, a courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk.
'Navigating the Isles of Wonder' - story highlights in random order
- Sir Steve Redgrave carries the Olympic torch into the Stadium, after David Beckham accompanied it into Stratford on a speedboat
- Seven young athletes then light the cauldron
- Breathtaking firework display lights up the sky above east London
- Sir Paul McCartney brings the show to a close, singing Beatles classic 'Hey Jude'
- Queen makes spectacular appearance in simulated helicopter arrival with James Bond star Daniel Craig
- Monarch tells the world: 'I declare open the Games of London, celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era'
- Monarch tells the world: 'I declare open the Games of London, celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era'
- Muhammad Ali is among flagbearers who carried the Olympic Flag into the Stadium
-Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins started the Opening Ceremony by ringing the giant Olympic Bell
- Rowan Atkinson joins the orchestra as Mr Bean for a comedy skit
- Sir Kenneth Branagh reads from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
- Dizzee Rascal and Emeli Sande perform
- The audience have been handed 3D glasses and every seat has a magic wand with it
- Red Arrows fly past the stadium leaving trail of red, white and blue vapour at 20:12 exactly
- Danny Boyle tweets 'Proud to be British'
You might also like to watch this CNN video on the fireworks, which includes a guide to the Olympic Opening Ceremony, as well as this video by the Guardian.co.uk with the London Olympics Opening Ceremony highlights.
Last, but not least, I couldn't finish this post, without suggesting a tour to these two magnificent PHOTO GALLERIES about the OOC edited by TIME and HUFF POST: flabbergasting photographies of this dazzling venue!
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| Photo credits: Associated Press |
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Friday, July 27, 2012
The Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony is a celebration showcasing the best of the Host Nation. It also features a parade of all competing nations and the highly anticipated entrance of the Olympic Flame, which ignites the cauldron and signals the start of the Games.
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| Danny Boyle by The Hollywood Reporter |
I have been scooping the news on the Olympic Games since the begining of the Torch Relay back in May. I shall continue scooping and tweeting the Games from July 27 to August 12. Both the Scoop.it and Twitter widgets will remain on the right side bar of this website so that T@PT is always updated and updating on the latest news of this stunning venue!... Having said this, may the Opening Ceremony begin! Is it 9pm already?
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Michael Phelps's last Olympic Games
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| found pic @tippett.org |
Michael Phelps is an American swimmer who has won 16 Olympic medals. He was born June 30, 1985 in Maryland to a mother who is a middle school principal and a father who almost made a professional football team. Phelps won six gold and two bronze medals at the Olympics held in Athens in 2004, plus eight gold medals in Beijing in 2008. He holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympic year, breaking the record of American swimmer Mark Spitz who won seven gold medals in Munich in 1972. His total record is second only to Soviet gymnast Larissa Lalynina who won 18 medals over three Olympics, including nine gold ones. Phelps has won many awards including World Swimmer of the Year six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He has taken part in many international competitions and has won 59 medals from these competitions. Of these, 50 were gold, seven silver, and two bronze. In addition, Michael Phelps received the Sportsman of the Year Award from Sports Illustrated magazine. Phelps heads the Michael Phelps Foundation which was established to promote healthy lifestyles and the sport of swimming. He is regularly tested for drugs since he is a member of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and their “Project Believe” program. Testing is to ensure that his body is free from performance-enhancing drugs. During the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Phelps was suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs because of his superior performance in the competitions, but he tested negative nine times.
In Michael Phelps Fansite (abridged)
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| A cartoon by Dave Granlund |
According to ESPN, Michael Phelps won't equal the record eight gold he won four years ago, in Beijing, as he dropped the 200 free. In addition to that, Phelps confirmed that he will retire after his last swim in London. 'I won't be coming back,' he said. 'Put it on record.' Read more... As a Michael Phelps's fan I can only hope for a dazzling performance one more time, before his retirement!
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
London 2012 Olympic Games
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| found pic and info @Visit London |
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| found pic & info @ TOYSREVIL |
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| found pic @London2012 |
Earlier in May, the Olympic flame began its ceremonial journey in Ancient Olympia to the site of the Summer Games in London. After a short relay around Greece, the flame is being carried by some 8,000 torchbearers to spread the message of peace, unity, and friendship over 70 days until it arrives at the opening ceremonies on July 27 where it will be used to light up the cauldron. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an eternal flame. It is lit a few months before every Games and extinguished during the closing ceremony. Surprisingly, the idea of a torch relay was devised by the Germans for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Hitler admired the culture of Classical Greece, and the relay was seen as an imaginative way to link Berlin with the original Games. The Olympic Flame arrived in London in spectacular fashion on July 20 with the help of the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF), in advance of its seven-day tour of the capital. During its time in the capital, the Olympic Flame will be carried by 982 Torchbearers and travel around 200 miles of the capital’s streets, taking in landmarks, community spaces and places to showcase London to the world. Sources: The Big Picture, The DailyMail.co.uk, London2012 (abridged and adapted)
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| found pic @ London2012 |
Designed especially for each Games, the medals are what every athlete strives to win. The Olympic medals’ circular form is a metaphor for the world. The front of the medal always depicts the same imagery at the Summer Games, the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike, stepping out of the Parthenon to arrive in the Host City. The design for the reverse features 5 symbolic elements... Read more...
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| found pic @ London2012 |
You might like to take a look at the following videos & photo galleries
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The Founder of the Modern Olympics
'Olympism is not a system: it is a state of mind.' - Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, was an unlikely sports hero; a French aristocrat who thought physical education could have saved his country from military humiliation in the late 1800s. The lonely campaign waged by Pierre Fredy, Baron de Coubertin, slowly gained support among advocates of athletics in Europe and America, and Coubertin was able to organize the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.
Athletics became popular in the late 1800s
The role of athletics in life had taken on a major role throughout the 1800s, after a long period when society was essentially indifferent to sports, or, actually considered sports to be a frivolous diversion. Scientists began touting athletics as a way of improving health, and organized athletic endeavors, such as baseball leagues in the United States, became very popular. In France, the upper classes indulged in sports, and young Pierre de Coubertin participated in rowing, boxing and fencing.
The First Modern Olympics
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| Found picture via Google Images |
Legacy of Baron de Coubertin
The idea of the Olympics as an event filled not merely with athletics but great pageantry came from Pierre de Coubertin. So while the games are, of course, held on a scale far more grand than anything he could have imagined, the opening ceremonies, parades, and fireworks are very much part of his legacy. And it was also Coubertin who originated the idea that while the Olympics can instill national pride, the cooperation the world's nations may promote peace and prevent conflict.
In, About.com 19th Century History
You might also like to read about the Olympic Rings and Flag at
Semana da Cor @PineTree
You might also like to read about the Olympic Rings and Flag at
Semana da Cor @PineTree
Monday, July 23, 2012
London's new skyline and landmarks
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| Photo credits: Mark A Paulda, Flickr |
It's one of the most famous names in the world, up there with the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. But now London's Big Ben clock tower is to be renamed Elizabeth Tower to mark the queen's 60th year on the British throne. The announcement followed the four days of celebrations earlier this June to mark 86-year-old Queen's Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. The landmark, part of Britain's Houses of Parliament, is officially called the Clock Tower but is commonly known as Big Ben, the name of the giant bell in the tower that chimes the famous bongs in the capital. Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the name change. "The renaming of the Clock Tower to the Elizabeth Tower is a fitting recognition of the Queen's 60 years of service. This is an exceptional tribute to an exceptional monarch," he said.
In NBCNEWS.com
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| Photo credit: Jason Hawkes |
The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe, was formally opened on 5 July 2012 by the Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, in a ceremony attended by Prince Andrew, Duke of York. The opening ceremony featured a large laser light show, comprising twelve lasers and 30 searchlights, which illuminated the building on the London skyline. The Shard was designed with an irregular pyramidal shape from the base to the top, and is clad entirely in glass. Its structure was completed in April 2012. The tower is scheduled to open to the public in February 2013. Its crystalline façade is transforming the London's skyline with a mixed-use 310 m (1,016 ft) vertical city of high-quality offices, world-renowned restaurants, the 5 star Shangri-La hotel, exclusive residential apartments and the capital's highest viewing gallery offering 360° views.
In The Shard,
abridged and slightly adapted
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| Photo credits: Jason Hawkes |
With less than 10 days to go to the Olympic Games, London 2012 Sustainability Ambassador and TV presenter Kevin McCloud pays a visit to London’s new Olympic Park and talks about how sustainability is embedded into all aspects of the project. 'When we bid to host the 2012 Games, we made a radical proposal to the International Organising Committee. We weren’t only going to put on the biggest sporting event in the world; we were going to hold the world’s first truly sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games, leaving a legacy far beyond the departure of the Olympic Flame.'
Last, but not least, from 21 July to 10 September, seven of London’s most famous bridges will light up in a dazzling display of colour to celebrate the 50 evenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. These spectacular light displays will last from 9.30pm until 5am, with a special moment taking place on the hour, every hour at: Golden Jubilee footbridge, Waterloo Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge, London Bridge and Tower Bridge. The lighting will bring the Games to life with searchlights and illustrations of Olympic and Paralympic sports.
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| The Millenium Bridge by GLA/LMC 2012 |
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On the Olympic Park with Kevin McCloud
On the Olympic Park with Kevin McCloud
Friday, July 20, 2012
The British Weather and St Swithin's Day
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| 'Welcome to the UK, folks. Please swim over to the arrivals building and join the queues'. - A cartoon by MAC |
The cartoon says it all: Britain has been experiencing a terrible weather over the past few weeks, with rain and wind lashing the country, even leading to flooding in certain areas. Even though the Brits are used to 'such a lovely weather for ducks', every now and then a little bit of sunshine, instead of raincoulds, would be much appreciated!... But what's the explanation for these current extreme soaking weather conditions? St. Swithin's Day, there you go! According to Encyclopedia Britannica, '(...) July 15 is one of the several days from which, in folklore, the weather for a subsequent period is dictated. In popular belief, if it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, it will rain for 40 days, but, if it is fair, 40 days of fair weather will follow.' Read more...
Stereotypical conversation in England often starts with an observation about the weather. To mark St Swithin’s day, Natalie, an English Trackers' current intern, wrote about English idioms concerning the weather. Here are just a few:
'Nice weather we’re having' has two meanings: 1. The weather is very good today. You can use this to start a conversation with a stranger. This is known as small talk , or polite conversation. 2. The weather is horrible today. Someone might say this sarcastically: implying that they mean the opposite of what they’re literally saying. For example: Two people are waiting for a bus. It’s cold and raining. One says to the other ‘Nice weather we’re having!’
'Lovely weather for ducks!' - This one is similar to nice weather we’re having. It’s a cliché we use to say that the weather is very bad, but must be good for something.
To be under the weather means that someone’s not feeling well: ‘I’m feeling a bit under the weather, I have a cold at the moment.’
To have a face like thunder is to look very angry. For example: ‘Watch out for Jimmy, he had a face like thunder after losing his football match.’
When someone is a fair weather friend they are only there for you during easy times, and do not support you through the bad times. For example: ‘When I was the best at Maths Helen always wanted to spend time with me. Now that I’m struggling at school she doesn’t. She’s such a fair weather friend.’
Saving something for a rainy day is putting something aside for a day when you might need it more. People usually talk about money, but it can be anything from food to an activity. For example: ‘Aren’t you going to spend your bonus now?’ ‘No, I think I’ll save it for arainy day.’
It’s Raining cats and dogs is one of the most famous weather expressions in the English language. It means that it is raining very heavily.
Come rain or shine means that through good and bad something will not change. For example: ‘I’ll be with you, come rain or shine.’
In, English Trackers, Talking about the weather
REUTERS/Andrew Winning
A cartoon by Andy Davey
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Brits vs The Yankees
In spite of speaking the same language, there's an ongoing rivalry between the two nationalities, which has its roots in the timeline of History. I found a very interesting text in the Urban Dictionary that reports what's going on between the Brits and the Yankees. By the way, the Brits, also referred to as the British, Britons, or informally as Brits or Britishers, are citizens or natives of the United Kingdom; whereas the term Yankee, sometimes shortened to Yank, has several interrelated meanings, referring to people from the United States. I must add that outside the United States, Yankee is slang for anyone from the United States. The truncated form 'Yank' is especially popular among Britons, and may sometimes be considered offensive or disapproving.
Alright people. I am getting sick and tired of this whole 'England vs America' thing. The English need to stop insulting Americans. And Americans need to stop insulting the English.
1. England is not full of gay, posh, snobby, tea-drinking people with awful teeth. Many of us are perfectly normal. And not all Americans are fat, mcdonalds guzzling, greedy, lazy slobs.
2. If you try, you CAN get along. I'm English, my boyfriend is American, and I love him a lot.
3. Don't have a go at each other because of wars, sports or anything like that. America beat England, England beat America. You're supposed to be allies?
4. Stop calling me 'British, European or Eastern' And I'll stop calling you a 'Yank.' England, is not Britain. Britain consists of Northern Ireland (not the Republic), Wales, Scotland and England. I am British, but I am not technically from Britain, I am from England.
5. I may sound like I'm bashing America here. But I'm not. Please, please, please. Don't correct me when I spell color 'colour', don't tell me 'It's mom, not mum' Don't tell me that it's 'Soccer, not football.' And don't, don't, don't tell me 'You have a weird accent.' Because you are speaking ENGLISH, folks, and I'm afraid you have a much stranger accent to me. Although many English accents are strange, most of ours are normal enough. (...) Read more @England vs America
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A cartoon by Andy Davey
I couldn't finish this post without publishing the video 'Englishman in New York'. This is a song by Sting, from his 1987 album 'Nothing Like the Sun'. The 'Englishman' in question is the famous eccentric and gay icon Quentin Crisp. Sting wrote the song not long after Crisp moved from London to an apartment in New York's Bowery. Crisp had remarked jokingly to the musician '...that he looked forward to receiving his naturalization papers so that he could commit a crime and not be deported.' The song illustrates many of the contrasts between the British and the American: 'Ooh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, I'm an Englishman in New York. You drink coffee, I take tea, my dear...'
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Manhattanedge
Manhattanhenge – sometimes referred to as the Manhattan Solstice – is a circumstance which occurs twice a year, during which the setting sun aligns with the east–west streets of the main street grid in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The neologism is derived from Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with the stones on the solstices with a similarly dramatic effect. The word was popularized in 2002 by Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History. The term applies to those streets that follow the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which are laid out in a grid offset 29.0 degrees from true east–west. During Manhattanhenge, an observer on one of the gridded east-west streets will see the sun setting over New Jersey directly opposite, from the street, along its centerline.
The dates of Manhattanhenge usually occur around May 28 and July 12 or July 13 – spaced evenly around summer solstice. In 2011, Manhattanhenge occurred on May 31 at 8:17 p.m., and on July 12 (full sun) and 13 (half sun), both at 8:25 p.m. In 2012, it occurred on Tuesday, May 29 at 8:17 p.m. and Thursday, July 12 at 8:25 p.m. (half sun), and on Wednesday, May 30 at 8:16 p.m. and Wednesday, July 11 at 8:24 p.m. (full sun).
Source: Wikipedia 
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Big Apple
Many cities have their original nicknames or are known for something special. Chicago is called the Windy City, Las Vegas is Sin City, and, of course, New York City 'The City that never sleeps' or most commonly known 'the Big Apple'. The others make sense, but why is NYC nicknamed after a fruit? According to Heather Cross, from the About.com Guide to New York City Travel, 'racing, jazz musicians and a tourism campaign all play a part in NYC's nickname'.
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| photo credit: sdh_zh via photo pin cc |
"This commonly asked question got me wondering, why do we call New York City the Big Apple? While I've seen several apple trees in New York City, I don't particularly recall them as being in notable quantity. There are certainly more pigeons than apples in New York City, but we don't call New York City the 'Big Pigeon.' As with anything New York, there are many opinions and contradictions.In the early 1920s, 'apple' was used in reference to the many racing courses in and around New York City. Apple referred to the prizes being awarded for the races, as these were important races, the rewards were substantial.Based on the research of Barry Popik, the use of 'Big Apple' to refer to New York City became clearer. Popik found that a writer for the New York Morning Telegraph, John Fitzgerald, referred to New York City's races 'Around the Big Apple.' It is rumored that Fitzgerald got the term from jockeys and trainers in New Orleans who aspired to race on New York City tracks, referring to the 'Big Apple.' In the late 1920s and early 1930s, New York City's jazz musicians began referring to New York City as the 'Big Apple.' An old saying in show business was 'There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple.' New York City being the premier place to perform was referred to as the Big Apple. A 1971 campaign to increase tourism to New York City adopted the Big Apple as an officially recognized reference to New York City. The campaign featured red apples in an effort to lure visitors to New York City. It was hoped that the red apples would serve as a bright and cheery image of New York City, in contrast to the common belief that New York City was dark and dangerous. Since then, New York City has officially been The Big Apple. In recognition of Fitzgerald, the corner of 54th & Broadway, where Fitzgerald lived for 30 years, was renamed 'Big Apple Corner' in 1997."
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photo credit: hernan.seoane via photo pin ccTo finish this post, I invite you on a tour around the 'city that never sleeps' on the company of two very well known New Yorkers: Alicia Keys and Jay-Z. 'Empire State of Mind' is a fantastic tribute to this dazzling city! Do enjoy!...
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Friday, July 13, 2012
Friday Fact
By Vladstudio
Did you know that...
... every month that begins on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th? And that there is at least one Friday the 13th in every calendar year? If you want to know more about this superstition, I'd suggest you a visit to urbanlegends.about.com... I would also suggest you to beware of black cats crossing your way, walking under ladders, breaking a mirror... Am I superstitious? God... NO!... Absolutely not!... What could possibly make you think that? I never open umbrellas inside the house, so what?... And garlic... I love garlic! Garlic is definitely my favourite food!... ;)
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
A peculiar brain and hairstyle...
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| source:webmaster.pt |
'Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.'
Einstein was a man of principles who was brilliant in terms of his scientific observations, as well as his observations about life. Some people think he was eccentric because of his bushy grey hair and moustache and his ability to laugh at himself; yet, no one can question his intelect and contributions he made to the scientific world. I would suggest you to follow this link, so as to learn about Eintein's biography through a fantastic photo gallery and a summary of his most stunning quotes, like these two: 'If you can't explain it simply, you didn't understand it well enough!' or 'I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.'
Five Facts about Einstein you might not know about! Did you know that Einstein...
... was German and a Jew?
... never wore socks?
... invented his own refrigerator?
... had an illegitimate daughter?
... failed in exams?
Coming up next: the Einstein Archives Online. More than 80,000 of Albert Einstein's documents and drawings are now available to view for free.The archives include not only his scientific work but also his images and documents from his travels and thoughts on the world in general. They certainly deserve our visit!
... was German and a Jew?
... never wore socks?
... invented his own refrigerator?
... had an illegitimate daughter?
... failed in exams?
Coming up next: the Einstein Archives Online. More than 80,000 of Albert Einstein's documents and drawings are now available to view for free.The archives include not only his scientific work but also his images and documents from his travels and thoughts on the world in general. They certainly deserve our visit!
Source:
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Three men and a dream
He had a dream...
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| photo credit: U.S. Embassy New Delhi via photo pin cc
He said that we could!...
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| photo credit: nasa hq photo via photo pin cc
And so they did it!...
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| found picture @American Fiyah |
"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
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| Image credits: www.evian.com |
Martin Luther King, Jr, Nobel Peace Prize 1964 winner, would have rejoyced at Obama's election in 2008. Barack Obama, the 44th current President of the United States, is the first African American to hold the office.
Even though 'We were not born with hatred or intolerance!', as someone said, M.L. King's plea hasn't been fully accomplished yet, nonetheless significant changes along the way!
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| pic via Google Images |
In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name. Born on July 18 1918, Mandela has received more than 250 awards over four decades. He will turn 94 next week!... He is the living proof that one can dream with a better world and achieve it!...
Source: Wikipedia (abridged and adapted)
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