Olympics @ MindSay 
london
Over the course of 17 days, the health agency doled out 100,000 condoms, supplied by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. And after buzz, some based on rumors, grew that there was a shortage -- "We were not getting calls from people saying, 'Help, I need condoms,'" Adams laughed -- an emergency shipment of 8,500 additional rubbers came in from the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research.
Some media outlets reported that the supply was strictly for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and officials, totaling about 6,500 people according to the Vancouver Organizing Committee. That would suggest an average of at least 15 condoms per person, and rampant sex of Olympic proportions.
But Adams, spokesman for Vancouver Coastal Health, clarified and said the free condoms were available not just to athletes and game officials. They were on the cruise ships that housed security, support staff and volunteers. They were in washrooms at public venues, including the downtown pavilions where visitors gathered for free concerts. They were handed out by volunteers and readily available in clinics.
The mass distribution of rubbers was part of a greater effort to improve HIV and AIDS awareness, Adams said.
The 2010 Winter Olympics end Sunday evening with the Closing Ceremony at Vancouver's BC Place. Here are five things to look out for:
1. Chile's lone representative. In the immediate aftermath of the devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday, there were reports that the nation's Olympic delegation would return home immediately. But skier Noelle Barahona couldn't get a flight. After speaking with her family and friends to ensure that they were safe, she decided to remain in the Olympic Village and will be the nation's lone representative at the Closing Ceremony.
2. Canadian flag bearer. The Canadian delegation will be led by short-track speedskater Charles Hamelin. The 25-year-old won two gold medals in Vancouver. There had been rumors that Joannie Rochette, the bronze-medal-winning figure skater who lost her mom at the beginning of the Olympics, would carry Canada's flag at the Closing Ceremony. It would have been another touching moment involving Rochette, who became one of those unexpected, only-in-the-Olympics type stars over the past week.
3. Performers. Canadian bands Nickelback (you remember them; they're the ones who have all those awful songs) and teen heartthrob Justin Beiber are rumored to be performing at tonight's Ceremony. That should make this little girl very happy.
4. Poking fun? VANOC head John Furlong said the Closing Ceremony will "poke a bit of fun at ourselves." He added, "it will be Canada's way of saying goodbye and thank you. You will probably come away from the ceremonies knowing a bit more about us than you did if you're not from Canada." Expect more Canadian myths and involvement from aboriginal tribes but not any additional content for French-speaking Canadians. There was some criticism that the Opening Ceremony ignored French content. But the plan for the Closing Ceremony was set long ago and no changes have been made.
5. What will Sochi do? The traditional handover ceremony between the current host city and the next host city will take place in an eight-minute segment near the end of the Closing Ceremony. Russia is expected to bring 150 sports stars, children, dancing stars and a supermodel to the handover. The highlight will be the handover of the Olympic flag between mayors of the two Olympic cities. Live images from Sochi and Moscow will be transmitted into BC Place, a literal representation of "Vancouver meets Russia."
I thought this was a wonderful story about power 'totems' and the Olympics and sports . I hope you find it as interesting as I did. This is from the blog: http://conduitofjoy.con/
Montgomery’s Power Animal Wins Gold Medal for Canada
Wow…just when I thought that power animals might be “too weird” for the mainstream, I saw the Olympic headlines this weekend about Jon Montgomery, Canada’s pride and joy, gold medalist in the skeleton event.
Montgomery, the skeleton gold-medal winner for Canada, credited his power animal – a turtle – for his success in his medal-winning race. He had his turtle painted, along with a thunderbird, on his helmet to help him win his skeleton race. He got the idea after a team retreat with sports shaman (who knew there was such a thing – and Canadian to boot! – www.sportshaman.com), who asked him to look inside and find his power animal. Montgomery found a turtle, and what power his power animal gave him.
It is still blowing my mind that he came out in public and credited his turtle for his success in winning the gold medal.
Terry Williams, Canwest News wrote in the Edmonton Journal, on February 18, 2010:
“…Part of the exercise was to discover their spirit or power animal. Montgomery discovered his spirit animal was a turtle.
“He accompanies me on my helmet and sled,” said Montgomery of the turtle.
Montgomery also has the helmet painted in a native theme. Just before coming to Whistler for the Games, Montgomery had Vancouver native artist Phil Gray do the artwork for the helmet. The image of a thunderbird is prominent.
“The thunderbird is the main theme, but it was my idea to put the turtle on the helmet,” Montgomery said.
“I thought it was fitting to pay respect to the First Nations people and apparently their folklore states that the thunderbird lives up behind Blackcomb Mountain. It’s a powerful animal and one of their most prized symbols. I thought it would be good to pay respect to that and honour the people here and have my spirit animal guide me down the track.”
Montgomery’s experience is a fantastic example of how tapping into the strengths of your power animal can draw out your best qualities.
The turtle, which is Jon’s personal power animal (some call this a totem animal), gave him the strength to bring out the very best of himself, to help him win the gold medal. Some of the symbolic meanings of the turtle are: strength, stability, endurance, patience. These are personal traits which would definitely help in training to achieve the necessary level of excellence needed in order to win a gold medal.
The most important aspect of Montgomery’s connecting with his power animal is, was the connection with the deepest parts of himself. Knowing himself in such a deep way allows Montgomery to dig down to the deepest parts of himself. That connection allows him to reach for the best of himself, in any particular moment. This connection with a power animal, helps any person, in any endeavour, do their absolute best.
Montgomery’s admission paves the way for the rest of us to bring our power animals into our everyday lives.
Personally, I can’t wait to see the looks on the faces of my co-workers when I walk in a meeting with a crow headdress on….and a giant dragonfly painted on my briefcase.
If you haven’t found your own power animal yet, once you become a subscriber, you automatically get the free guided meditation to find your own power animal.
Yay, score one for the power animals!
Kara
Want to find your power animal to harness your Gold-medal winning potential? Want to connect with your power animal more deeply through a journey, and see how you it can make you as successful as Jon Montgomery? Email me at conduitofjoy@hotmail.com, for my next available appointment.
Copyright 2010 :: Kara Thompson
Photograph by: Oliver Lang, AFP, Getty Images, Canwest Olympic Team; Canwest News Service
Novell ZENworks solutions to help the 2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics are being held in the whole world, of which IT management is also crucial. Vancouver Convention Center will be managing about 7,000 telephone lines and radio broadcasting equipment, headquarters, it needs an effective workstation management to improve efficiency, management and distributed throughout the workstations, so that APPLE M7318 battery staff as soon as possible in the most effective way to respond to the needs of BOCOG. Desktop support for the realization of automation and standardization, the Vancouver Conference Center has selected the new Novell ZENworks configuration management solution. Through the deployment of Novell ® ZENworks ® Configuration Management solution, conference center will support the successful cost reduction by 60%, greatly improved the first-call problem resolution rate, the release of more IT resources for higher value work.
Challenges
Vancouver Convention Center recently completed a major expansion project. The new center will be managing about 7,000 telephone lines and radio broadcasting equipment, the headquarters to provide support for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Conference Center requires a standardized user workstation management to improve efficiency. Vancouver Convention Center IT Services Manager Bill Zeeben said: "The center staff must be the most effective way as soon as possible to respond to the needs of BOCOG. Have a high-performance IT service center staff to help accomplish this mission-critical. In addition, we also need to avoid 'run errands Network' (sneakernet) situation, that is to send staff to the scene to repair the user workstation in person. centers to expand and add a new ACER ASPIRE 1410 battery after this demand has become more urgent. "
Solutions
Vancouver Convention Center IT Services Manager Bill Zeeben, said: "We decided to update to the Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution, part of the new features of the program we have been impressed, such as the Open Directory architecture allows us to leverage existing Microsoft Active Directory environment. Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution than Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol (Remote Desktop Protocol) and other more powerful solution that can seamlessly with our Microsoft environment co-exist. "
Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution enables administrators to be adopted by policy-based automation technology easy to publish applications and patches, in the central location remote processing station failures.
Zeeben said: "Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution helps us connect with customers, more quickly to resolve system problems. We can control the user's desktop, to see them displayed on the screen an error message, greatly enhances our problem-solving capabilities. "
Vancouver Convention Center are using the DELL INSPIRON 500M SERIES laptop battery to user-centric management capabilities, is equipped with a desktop based on different user roles. "We use Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution that provides for different user types of customers CRM (customer relationship management) applications, efficiency is high." Zeeben says.
Facts have proved that the release of the application functionality is also very useful. Zeeben said: "With Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution, we can easily update the specific configuration or a remote release. More recently, we need to update. NET code group, in order to maintain the normal operation of CRM system. If there is any service disruptions, the company where the user is bound to complain. to use Novell ZENworks Configuration Management, we have quickly released a software update to enable all systems to normal operation, to prevent the problem from happening. "
Novell technical sales specialists provide on-site services to ensure successful implementation. Zeeben said: "we work with Novell staff to ensure that all configured correctly, which will impact the end user to a minimum. With their co-operation is a very pleasant experience."
Results
"Novell ZENworks Configuration Management has greatly improved our provision and management of IT resources. Our support costs have dropped by more than half. If you did not use Novell ZENworks Configuration Management, we may need to increase the number of employees. The solution to each of us months, saving thousands of dollars in costs. "
Novell solution has been well received throughout the FUJITSU FPCBP80 laptop battery. Zeeben said: "For the IT staff, which enables the deployment and troubleshooting easier. Staff no longer need to deploy applications or to solve user problems to run around, and now they can more quickly respond to user requests."
Application Publishing and troubleshooting is also used a simplified user productivity has improved. "With Novell ZENworks Configuration Management solution, we are able to in minutes rather than several days to complete application delivery. In addition, we will reduce the duration of system downtime to a minimum to avoid a lot of support for escalation. If you encounter problems, We can map their machines, within half an hour to complete the backup and re-run, rather than the previous three to four hours. staff can use the savings of time to find new ways to add value for users. "
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