Athletes, Social Media, Rules and the 2010 Olympics

"Athletes Confused by Olympic Social Media Rules"
Epicenter, Wired (February 5, 2010)

"American skier Lindsey Vonn, one of the potential stars of the 2010 Winter Olympics, told her nearly 35,000 Twitter followers that she would not be posting to the social network until after the Games were over, perhaps based on a faulty understanding of the International Olympic Committee's rules on blogging and social networking.

Vonn wrote that “because of the Olympic rules (blackout period) I will not be able to post any updates from now until march 3rd. Sorry, it bums me out too!” In the update, which was also posted to Vonn's Facebook account, she encouraged fans to keep sending her messages.

But there is no Olympic rule that sets up a blackout period for athletes according to Bob Condron, the Director of Media Services for the United States Olympic Committee...."

I'd love to see the rules - as they were presented to the athletes. The explanation given in the Wired article was fairly straightforward and lucid.

Off on a Tangent: Bureaucratese

You may or may not find "bureaucratese" in your dictionary. It's a sort of language often used by bureaucrats to (in my opinion) make their jobs look important, and make the simple seem complex.

Like this bit of instruction. See if you can figure out what I'm writing about.

Utilization of Articulated Binary Power Allocation Device

Approach the Articulated Binary Power Allocation Device (ABPAD) in bipedal locomotion mode, extending the arm, forearm and hand in such a manner as to place the distal segment of the index finger in close proximity to the ABPAD.

Determine the current power utilization state of the task-, transport-, storage- or other institutional enclosed volume under consideration and make a decision as to the advisability of altering this state through use of the ABPAD: requesting the services of an authorized agent, if your ABPAD utilization authority does not extend to the ABPAD whose utilization you are considering.

Should your authority, or the authority of the authorized agent, allow you to change the current power utilization state, and should such a change be called for, place the distal segment of your index finger on the ABPAD, applying pressure at an approximately 90 (ninety) degree angle to primary axis of the ABPAD articulated member until said pressure reaches a point sufficient to initiate appropriate motion of the ABPAD articulated member....

Oi. That sort of obfuscation was a bit more common, in my youth. I do not get nostalgic over 'the good old days,' as a rule.