Barometer | 9 July 2011

Victory celebrations

Novak Djokovic celebrated winning the men’s singles at Wimbledon by eating grass on the Centre Court. While not doing a lot to boost the image of his native Serbia as a modern country, the act joins a litany of bizarre victory celebrations.

— After winning a 100 metres race in 2004, Maurice Greene started leaping about in apparent pain before taking off his boots and having an official spray them with a fire extinguisher.

— The Barcelona football team celebrated winning this year’s Champions League final at Wembley by cutting the net from one of the goalposts.

— after winning the gold medal, the Canadian women’s ice-hockey team sat on the ice to drink beer and smoke cigars, breaking the law as several team members were only 18, below the minimum drinking age in British Columbia. But at least nobody died …

— Unlike the goalkeeper of Iraqi football team Sinjar, who was felled by bullet fired by an off-duty policeman trying to celebrate his team’s victory.

The price of living longer

The Dilnot Report was published, recommending that the elderly should have to contribute a total of no more than £35,000 towards their old age care. How are the costs of providing adult social care expected to rise with increased longevity?

2010/11 £14.5bn

2015/16 £16.0bn

2020/21 £19.0bn

2025/26 £22.8bn

Public art

A giant white horse planned for Ebbsfleet, Kent, is in doubt after estimates rose from £2 million to £12 million. In spite of the financial crisis, sculptors have never had it so good. What can public authorities get for their money?

Large bronze penny with Britannia and the date ‘1927’ cut out from it, New Selby War Memorial Hospital £20,000

‘Arria’, 33ft-high female form with outstretched hands, beside the A80 in Cumbernauld £250,000

‘The Rise’, two globes made from steel girders on Broadway Roundabout in West Belfast £460,000

‘Quantum Leap’, 32 stone ribs celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth £483,000

‘Star of Caledonia’, twisted steel ‘starburst’ beside M6 on English/Scottish border £2-£3m