The Olympics approach

The Guardian launched a London 2012 Olympics Blog this week, coinciding with tickets for next summer's Games going on sale and 500 days remaining until the opening ceremony. The blog worked without a hitch. The same cannot be said for the countdown clock unveiled in Trafalgar Square or every facet of the ticket application website , but these problems seem to have proved temporary. A general feeling endures that London's preparations are going rather smoothly . Given that over-runs and cock-ups have become traditional features of Olympics build-ups I'm finding this vaguely alarming. Meanwhile, there's those legacy issues to fret about. I will certainly enjoy the coming festival of sport. But if it fails to be a catalyst and mechanism for energising the economies of some of London's worst-off boroughs, I'm afraid all that public money will not have been well spent. And although I have confidence in the top brass of the Olympic Park Legacy Company I can't say the same for the government's housing policies, which seem sure to have a large impact on their plans for the post-Games future of the park. I'll be contributing coverage of those legacy matters to the Olympics Blog at least once a week. My first two efforts are here and here . Fellow Guardian writers will write on other Olympics themes. Bookmark that blog today. The Guardian on London Wealthy property buyers move into central London Business podcast: The growth of modern cities Musician Smiley Culture dies during police raid on Surrey home Obituary: Smiley Culture Smiley Culture's language of transcendence Smiley Culture made us proud to be black and British Postmortem: Smiley Culture died from single stab wound to heart Royal Brompton hospital fights closure of children's heart unit G20 pathologist Freddy Patel faces being struck off Brian Haw loses right to camp outside parliament Letters: No one sleeps rough for a free sandwich Boris Johnson wins partial reprieve over lost LDA cash Ken Livingstone: the change and no change candidate The magic of Treadwell's bookshop 'Oliver Twist' workhouse saved from demolition Running London (A Marathon Endeavour): Leg 18 - Herne Hill to Crystal Palace Exhibition: the migrant experience in London Obituary: Albert Levine, Camden working men's college teacher London blogosphere I've yet to add the output of any politician to my Top London Bloggers aggregator page but I've long felt that Roger Evans AM , who has announced he's standing down as leader of the London Assembly's Conservative group , should be an exception. Roger's blog covers Havering and Rebridge constituency and Assembly business from a Tory perspective, but with none of the slyness and spite that make the efforts of some of his fellow London Conservatives and their media supporters such a turn-off. He also ventures beyond politics: he's lately been describing his walks around the Capital Ring (as someone who's been Running London I feel a certain solidarity). It's time I augmented the Top London Bloggers page again. I have all sorts of contenders bookmarked and their names scribbled in notebooks and on the backs of envelopes. If I can find the time I'll get the whole lot uploaded by this time next week. If I fail, please pretend that the previous sentence was never written. Coming up This month's Mayor's Question Time on Wednesday morning will see Boris Johnson quizzed about government cuts, safer neighbourhood teams and and air pollution. If you can't be at City Hall the proceedings will be webcast via here . Other Assembly business is listed here . I intend to explore the changing sound of East End accents and the responses of local people to the newly-published masterplan for redeveloping the Earls Court area. Keep in touch .