Olympic torch DR'd ...

So disappointed that Naim would have anything to do with the corrupt disgrace that is the olympics.

Winky,

which one of the two Old gits are you?.

Stu.

The guy on the right.

Here in Vancouver they spent a billion dollars on security. To put this in perspective, that's 20,000 people, each paid $50,000 for two weeks' work, or 100,000 people each paid $10,000. It boggles the mind how they can waste money at that rate. Thankfully, they didn't want to install SAMs on my rooftop.

Things I hate about the Olympics:

1) The cost to the public, both money and inconvenience

2) The fact that the public are excluded from any "good" tickets and events

3) The fact that the so-called VIPs outnumber the athletes by at least 5:1

4) The taking over of vast public spaces without so much as an apology or thank-you

5) The self-entitled attitude of a lot of the athletes. i.e. - "Why won't the government give me more money to represent my country - it just isn't fair" whine.

6) The noxious legal protection of the brand

7) The noxious legal posturing of the sponsors to protect their marketing interests

8) The toxic nationalism and tribalism that it promotes (although it isn't as bad as football in this regard)

9) The fact that rhythmic gymnastics is considered a sport

10) Everything to do with horses

11) Shooting as a "sport"

12) Any so-called "sport" that needs to be judged. If you can't time it, score it, measure it or weigh it,  etc, then it isn't a sport.

13) Any "sport" that can be won by fat people

14) People who think anything to do with the olympics really matters

15) The "security" excuse for every stupid thing they do. It is more about exclusivity than security in just about all cases

16) The self-serving corruption and greed of the IOC and the local organising committees

17) The audacity to use brainwashed volunteers to enable the whole show to rake in huge private profits

I could go on.....

I am the guy on the left....for a bankrupt country to even consider hosting this travesty is ridiculous.

+1

steve

+2

Winky,

If truth was an olympic sport you'd win a gold metal for that!

Debs

winky, you were doing so well until you had your usual swipe at the beautiful game!  unless you are refering to american football then you are forgiven .

8) The toxic nationalism and tribalism that it promotes (although it isn't as bad as football in this regard)

luckily up here in the middle of England the olympics is not much of an issue , i do feel for the tax paying southerners though .

The two things that make me laugh about it are.

The high speed train that runs from down here Folkestone/Ashford to London has been loosing money this year.

They have put it down to the bad weather but hope to claw it back when the games start.

Here is the thing though??

For the weeks the games are on There will be no high speed trains running from down here to London.

They will be using them on other lines.

The second thing is How did Seb become a Lord?

He was a good runner once but uses to much black hair dye for my liking.

Saw Keith Richard  last night and he has stopped dyeing his at last.

The Grey look suits him.

All joking apart, anything that costs multi millions/billions to put on? will always be bent to some degree.

Stu.

Sorry!

I am heartily fed-up with this fiasco now. Useless security companies, incompetent project managers, and all that money spent by a Government that says we have to economise on public services that people actually need. If the wretched things are so bloody important then why isn't it totally self-financing? Let those who want the Games pay for them.

Something else, why did they have to be in London? It's not the centre of the ****ing universe despite what the politicians and media think. Why wasn't there a complete "New Town" built somewhere on a brownfield site in the middle of the country, with decent transport links and full infrastructure? This could then have been used afterwards as a real, liveable, place, not just a property developer's wet dream. That way the poor sods who have to live and work in London wouldn't have had to put up with all the disruption, inconvenience and hassle that it has caused.

Let's get the damn things over as quickly as possible and forget it.

steve

I have to agree with the general consensus here regarding the Olympics.

A thought came to me last night which is a portent of the traffic and public transport chaos that is bound to happen. 

Tickets for most events, especially athletics, swimming and cycling are sold for 2 hour slots, not for the whole day. Therefore, unless spectators have multiple tickets for the day (unlikely), these venues will be subject to emptying and filling of tens of thousands of people every few hours. Imagine an FA Cup Final played 4-5 times a day to a different audience each time. The mind boggles.

Luckily I live 20 miles outside London. I should only be affected when I help my daughter move into her new house in Hackney on Sunday. My son though will have to travel to work in the City every day.

I think the Olympics should have a permanent home, preferably on an island somewhere off Greece. After all thats where it all started.

Steve

The torch came past my drive on Wednesday.

It was great to see my son and his school out there having fun along with hundreds of other people.

The thing that gets me,

Is why do the people carrying the thing have to where that horrid off white, Just been washed with the colours/ just got out of the nut house looking track suite?.

My daughter told me it was Stella McCartney's fault and they had to pay the company to use that horrid Logo disgn that we all voted for.

Lisa Simpson kneeling to give a BJ. Now look at the Olympic logo and not see that image.

What about the guy who got a tattoo that reads " Oylmpic Torch Bearer ". Doh! 

I can't un-see that BJ image.

There are some websites dedicated to showing mis-spelt tattoos. They are hilarious and sad, all at once.

Only a few days to go .... very exciting: can hardly wait ...

[include rant to keep in with spirit of thread: not sure why people who usually go to the City of London every day just to do business things can't stay home and watch it on TV to make it easier for everybody else to travel to Stratford and have a good time. Surely we can afford to do without business for a couple of weeks. I guess we'll just have to put up with these commuter dudes blocking up the transport system ... oh well, mustn't grumble.]

So lets agree it is the best thing that has happened in London since 1978. 

Lets hope we win lots of gold medals (not keen on silver and bronze) ...... we seem to be good at cycling so we should win a few there, must be all those cycle lanes we paid for out of the council tax ... I knew there must be a reason for 'em. Shame Darts and Snooker and Ballroom Dancing are not included, as we'd clean up there. 

Very impressive that when G4S were unable to deliver that our army were able to step in to make sure everything runs smoothly - reassuring really and much better use of troops. 

So enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.