20KM Race Walk

Can you spell FARCE... My team turned up to Auburn hospital 90 minutes
after I was told to be there... and we were having a test at 7:00 or 8:00...
I got there just before 7:00... But the test was put off late last night
and no-one told me, or the spanish riders... Mistakes happen...

We tested Mountain Bike and did Race Walking... Mountain Bike, the video
camera bikes did not move most of the time. And we were continually getting
complaints about how low the helicopters were... They were at about 1000
feet.... My boss promises that he will bring in photos of Helicopters in
Atlanta where they had 5 helicopters at 200 feet for the end of the mens
marathon.

The race walk was a joke. This one was 20 KM around the outside of the
stadium, with few people watching... The excitement came from the slow
motion action replays of the referees giving warnings to the walkers for
running... I am not kidding... This was about 75 minutes... In the next
few days there is going to be a 50 km race rather than a 20 km... It should
last the best part of 3 hours...

It is like a farce having replays of warnings given to athletes... The
guy who came first I think was disqualified - as far as we could tell...

My boss decided something strange... I bought an Olympic matchbox car
for him to give as a replacement to the guy who crashed his Olympic car.
The boss got out his hammer and crashed the model too... As a memento -
but only front end damage.

This evening, but USA time I have a presentation in the USA to give.
The Powerpoint presentation has been done. I have now recorded the audio
for the presentation and sent it by email to the USA. This presentation
is on my work on APRS in the games. It is at an international conference
in Florida - I wish I was there [And I know there are a few people on this
mailing list that think the same....]

I have not heard anything about the closing. When I find out anything
I will let you all know. One question I have been asked is have I actually
gone to any events? No. I might try to go to an athletics final or something
- I will see how things go... I think I can go to all Athletics venues,
and get into the spectator areas. I know that we will be working - or some
of us will be... The rest will probably be unpacking everything...

One of the other questions I have been asked is have I met any nice
women... No... at least not any that are not married. This is unfortunate,
but not unexpected. All the inhabitants of the nurses hostel now used by
uni students have been moved out for the games, and have been replaced
by medical personnel who I have yet to see.

For years I looked at the Olympics as the biggest event on earth, and
now here I am working for them, because of my skills... This is extremely
satisfying - I am really pleased to be working this event... Professionally
what could be better than doing the Olympics.

Anyway this is enough for this update... more next week...

Darryl

p.s. For those that have not seen it I have included a proposal for
the 2008 Olympics.

Subject: Mt Druitt bid for 2008 Olympics

Mt Druitt is to make a bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. In order to increase the likelihood that the successful bidders will win at least some medals, the competition has been modified somewhat. However, fierce competition is expected from rival areas such as Bankstown, Campbelltown, and Cabramatta. OPENING CEREMONY The Olympic Flame will be ignited by a petrol bomb thrown by a native of the city wearing the traditional flannelette shirt, jeans and no shoes, with his defacto wearing the traditional bike pants and short top with oversized stomach. THE EVENTS 100 Metre Sprint. Competitors will have to hold a video recorder and a microwave (one in each arm) and on the sound of the starting pistol a police dog will be released from a cage 10 metres behind the athletes. 100 metre hurdles. As above but with added obstacles, car bonnets, hedges, gardens, fences, walls, trains, etc. Hammer Throw. Competitors in this event may choose the type of hammer they wish to use (claw, sledge, etc). The winner will be the one who can cause the most grievous bodily harm to members of the public within the time allowed. Shooting. A strong challenge is expected from the men in this event. The first target will be a moving police vehicle. In the second round competitors will aim at a post office clerk, bank teller, console operator or video store attendant. A sawn-off shotgun will be the official weapon for the games. Boxing. Entry to the boxing will be restricted to husband and wife teams and will take place on a Friday night. The husband will be given 15 schooners of VB at the Mt Druitt Hotel followed by a quick peek in a lap dancing joint, while the wife will be instructed not to make him any dinner when he gets home. She will be wearing the regulation bike pants, short top and thongs. Cycling Time Trials. The competitor will attend the city skateboard area where they will obtain a stolen bike from a mummy's boy (preferably from Newington College or Grammar). They will then be racing against the clock. Bonus points will be awarded should a helmet be obtained at the time of taking the bike. Modern Pentathlon. Amended to include Robbery with violence, Burglary, Unlawful use of a motor vehicle, Arson, and wilful exposure. Men's 50km walk. Unfortunately this will have to be cancelled as organisers cannot guarantee the safety of anyone walking the streets of Mt Druitt. Gymnastics. The beam will be replaced by the strip of gutter outside the Mt Druitt Hotel. The event will commence at closing time - we expect some extremely difficult dismounts to be performed on this apparatus. The floor routine will be conducted in the padded cell of the Mt Druitt watchhouse. Closing Ceremony. Entertainment will include the local Torres Straight Islander dancing group accompanied by a local AC/DC cover band. The Olympic flame will be extinguished by local representatives by urinating from the base of the spire in a cascading effect. The stadium will then be boarded up before local athletes break in to it and remove all the copper piping and air conditioners.