Saturday, June 30, 2012

Link roundup

1. "Count Robert de La Rochefoucauld, who has died aged 88, escaped from Occupied France to join the Special Operations Executive (SOE); parachuted back on sabotage missions, he twice faced execution, only to escape on both occasions, once dressed as a Nazi guard."

2. Westfield is going to spend $500 million upgrading the Century City Mall in Los Angeles. By comparison. Disney's new Hawaiian resort cost $800 million.

3. Also from Fast Company, here are some of the tricks being used in London to avoid building a bunch of facilities that will never be used after the Olympics. For example:
The International Olympic Committee is a picky tenant: It demands housing for 15,000 athletes and officials but doesn't want athletes to cook. The solution was to build 3,000 apartments, each with an empty kitchen space that can be used as a bedroom. After the Games, kitchens will be added and 30% of the units will be sold at below-market prices.