The 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London (27 July - 12 Aug 2012) with its 300 events in 26 sports and 39 disciplines (held at 29 venues), and with over 180 participating countries is a Real Life (RL) mega-event for languages, cross-cultural communication, translation, interpreting, training, commerce, ecology, and much more.

Please check the BBC document briefing about the general planning steps forecasted: http://www.scribd.com/doc/16208292/The-Olympics-in-London-2012

- We believe that the present virtual boundary lines, operational structures, and processes, as presently practiced within Second Life (SL), are actually non-sustainable and need to be extended to include the international quality management standard principles of ISO 9001, thus including the principles of Sustainability and Continuous Improvement (Kaizen).

- This belief also leads to the conclusion that these new boundary lines need to include hybrid and mixed reality elements, as well as according operational structures and processes, in order to embed out-world RL Service Providers adequately, thus enabling to address and embed out-world RL Newbies effectively, and also to give out-world and in-world Newbies a good first experience.

Benchmarks:
> Second Life: Second Life seeks to mix the real and virtual worlds
> New World Editorial: Only Mass Adoption of Second Life Will Best Address All SL's Major Challenges
> W3: Augmented Reality Markup Language ARML

- This should ultimately lead to the enhanced use and deployment of Second Life and virtual worlds, and to enhanced activities along a broad range of possibilities and opportunities.

Benchmarks:
> Cisco Live: Once You Go Hybrid You'll Never Return
> McDonalds: Augmented Reality Game Campaign Using McNuggets
> Apple: Is Apple Going to Support Augmented Reality, After All?
> Lingualgamers: Language Learning with New Media and Games
> and More: 17 Fields of Augmented Reality Applications

The 2012 Olympic Games in London is an excellent target event in order to merge these virtual and mixed reality components and conceptions together, and to create an impacting affect.

RL building work is now under way on all of the 'big five' Olympic Park venues: the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, VeloPark, Olympic Village and IBC/MPC. Check the building site webcams and videos, as well as the sustainability plans.

Feel free to join, to network, and to contribute your strengths and resources for a vibrant virtual, hybrid, mixed reality, and quality enhancement of the Olympic Games 2012 in London.

Please check the Dashboard in the left column for configuration issues, quick announcements, and updates. Diigo social bookmarking groups and the in-world group Second Life Olympiad have also been established for sharing information. Please join these groups.

We are looking for dedicated and active team members as group creators, moderators, contributors, and service providers within this Ning. Outstanding, dedicated, and active members are featured in the member's list.

The following base department groups are presently envisioned in order to address the according management, core, and support processes:

Peer Supervision & Policies
Quality Management
Human Resource Management (RL Work for 2012)
Project Management
Risk Management
Legal Corner
R&D Contests, Awards, Grants, Investors, Sponsors, Fundraisers (Inspire Programme)
SL Innovation Culture & RL Cultural Olympiad
Training & Education Group (RL & SL Campuses), Quality Assurance
Builder's Corner (Designing Virtual Worlds)
Scripter's Corner
Machinima Corner
Webcasting Corner
Mixed Reality Corner
Sports Moderator Corner
Help Desk & Hostess Corner (Virtual Help Desk)
Volunteer Group
Language & Cross-Cultural Communication Group
Open Weekend Event Group
Mobile Smartphone Group (Technology)
Networking & Promotion Group (Business Network)
Marketing & Sales Management Group
Press & Media Group
Publishing Group

300 events in 26 sports and 39 disciplines (Aquatics, Archery, Atheletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Modern Penthalon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling),

held at 29 venues (Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena, Broxbourne White Water Canoe Center, Earls Court, Eton Dorney, ExCel, Football Stadia (UK wide), Greenwich Park, Hadleigh Farm Essex, Hampden Park, Handball Arena, Hockey Centre, Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park, Lord's Cricket Ground, Millenium Stadium, North Greenwich Area 1, North Greenwich Area 2, Old Trafford, Olympic Stadium, Regent's Park, St. James' Park, The Royal Artillery Barracks, VeloPark, Villa Park, Wembley Stadium, Weymouth and Portland, Wimbledon),

and with over 180 countries participating...

More groups are pending... Please get in touch with eurominuteman@googlemail.com if you are interested in moderating a base department group, or proposing a new one relevant to the Ning purpose.