Huzzah for the Olympics

[StraferJack]

""that wasn't 24 billion knocking around waiting to be spent on other things. A lot of that only "exists" because of the olympics."

You've really lost me there!!!!!!

Are you suggesting that the olympic organisers are printing money (or plucking it from the money tree)?"

If I wanted to spend half a million quid on, say, strippers and coke, I'd be hard pressed to find anyone to help me raise the cash. But if I decided to build a house for that amount, I'm fairly sure it would be less of an issue

As for austerity... I don't know if the just-bombed population were as grumbly in 1948 but they were definitely more broke. Still, people alive back then tell me they had a great time. And they built an nhs to boot.

[StraferJack]

Oops. Just realised that it looks like I'm comparing some worthy causes with frivolous strippers and drugs. Im not really, just saying people more likely to lend you cash if something in it for them too

[Otta]

I'd much rather the money had been spent on coke and a stripper for every Londoner, I could enjoy that!

[Loz]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Firstly has that 24 billion been verified by anyone or is it as pie in sky as the 2 billion?

Estimates have ranged from ?9bn up to ?24bn (which is Sky News's number). General agreement seems to be around the ?10bn mark.

But how much of that is public transport upgrades? Is anyone really going to argue that they are a huge plus for London?

Secondly, has anyone been to the Olympic Park? And did you see the s**thole it was built upon? Regenerating that part of London is a massive plus as well.

And then there are the sports facilities. London's sports facilities, for a world class city, are a disgrace. Having a few world class sports facilities is no bad thing.

So, yes, ?10 bn is a huge amount. But the stuff we are getting out of it is much more than a white elephant. And all that is before you start looking at any economic benefit.

[Loz]

The Gruniad have a pretty believable breakdown here. They reckon ?10.6bn, of which ?9.3bn is public funding.

[El Pibe]

The Stripper and Coke olympics, now that's something to get excited about!!!

[red devil]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> I've just watched the Torch make its way down

> Peckham Road and the enthusiasm, enjoyment and

> general feel good factor was high - with genuinely

> thousands of people enjoying the moment.

Absolutely.

Quids, it is possible to enjoy the Olympics and enjoy listening to The Smiths too...just not at the same time ;-)

Huzzah for the Olympics!

[????]

RD, I am genuienely the least miserabalist Smiths fan I know! And I am a fan :)

Huzzah for the Olympics

[red devil]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> The Stripper and Coke* olympics, now that's

> something to get excited about!!!

Keep up EP :)

*Actually Samsung in this case.

*Beach Volleyball tickets...check*

[StraferJack]

A Rush And A Push And This Medal Is Ours

I Know It's Silver

[red devil]

There Is A Torch That Never Goes Out

[red devil]

This (Drug) Cheating Man

[Alan Medic]

I just think that the excitement generated by seeing torch bearers is an indication of how shallow life is. What does it all mean? What are you thinking when you rush out of the office to see it?

[Michael Palaeologus]

I am one of those nay sayers that does not believe that sport is a universal panacea for all known ills and that it has a god given right to our complete attention. No. Balls to that.

I have a ticket for Monday. I will go. I am participating because I want to see what I have been paying for (4 times over), then I will make my decision.

What pisses me off is that that is a decidedly non-inclusive games. Its all about money.

I have friends who are coming to stay for thw weekend. They have little money, so applied for those that tickets that they could afford. They got none.

They would have liked to watch the games on the free screens, but you cant take food and drink into the free screen areas and buying the horribly priced food available for their family is beyond their means.

We will try the Potters Field free screen, but I fear that it will be rammed.

So, sod off with your "isnt the Olympics great, isnt all sport great" nonsensense. Sport is highly devisive, its supporters lose all sense of reason as they sink into base tribal loyalties.

[StraferJack]

I lost count after the fourth strawman...

" sport is a universal panacea for all known ills "

" a god given right to our complete attention. "

", isnt all sport great"

"they sink into base tribal loyalties."

I'm not saying any of the first three - I can take or leave the sporting aspect of it tbh

What base tribal loyalties are you referring to? "Go team GB"? Can't see much base about it, and doubt it will lead to any confrontation

If your friends were lucky enough to get tickets what would they have done for food in that case? The food maybe overpriced but they had money for cheaper events and now they aren't spending it - that'll cover it surely?

Your post is all a bit "price of everything value of nothing"

[Michael Palaeologus]

Base tribal loyalties = Football. Turns intelligent people into gibbering idiots.

You are not in a position to judge what my friends can or cannot afford.

[StraferJack]

Olympics much bigger than football - not sure why you are bring that into the argument. Have a look over the coming weeks - doubt you'll see much base tribal loyalties

I'm not judging anything about your friends - I just did some maths based on what you told us. You used it as a stick to beat the olympics with so I just tried to counter your argument

[????]

Infact, I thought a few minor incidents aside that the Euro Championships was refreshingly untribal (also see SA)...even Ingerlaaand fans seem to be getting the hang of it. Still the world getting together horrible tribal nonsense....

Huzzah for the Olympics

[Barnesfan]

Loz Wrote:

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> Fabricio the Guido Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Have you read about Boyle's opening ceremony?

> Nostalgia and melancholia with a nod to the

> modern

> > which is supposed to pass for humour, but is

> really quiet disappointing. I'm not watching it

> > because it is cringe worthy and worse than than

> the jubilee flotilla.

>

> But there has been (thankfully) very little in the

> press about the opening ceremony. We've played to

> over 120,000 people over two nights in the final

> dress rehearsals and the feedback has been far,

> far better than we ever hoped for. In fact, I've

> yet to see any bad comment from anyone who has

> seen the show - all of the 'bad' comments are from

> misery guts that are, I think, hoping that it will

> be crap so they have something to moan about.

>

> So really, don't watch it. You might just enjoy

> it, which will probably ruin your day!

I saw the dress rehearsal last night. Was absolutely fantastic. Think all the volunteers and others who have worked on it should feel extremely proud, and anyone who doesn't watch on Friday will be missing out on something pretty special.

[StraferJack]

From what I've heard I too am looking forward to the opening ceremony (a first for me)

But if it is a lame cheese-fest I'll just chalk it up to oddly-raised-expectations, and I shan't say it's a harbringer of disasters to come.

[El Pibe]

"Still the world getting together horrible tribal nonsense...."

;-)

[????]

I'm going to watch it now (a first for me too). Down at Camp Bestival*.

*dunno what I'm doing there tho. Queues and mud or sunburn and other people's screaming kids and half of Dulwich there anyway, and filthy toilets etc, etc, etc, etc

Huzzah for the Olympics

[StraferJack]

"Queues and mud or sunburn and other people's screaming kids and half of Dulwich there anyway, and filthy toilets etc, etc, etc, etc "

erm, you sure you aren't just down Lordship Lane?

[maxxi]

???? Wrote:

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> Let's scrap global sport - terrible thing hey

> Maxxii. You have a crap summer too.

>

> Huzzah for the Olympics.

Hilarious! That's what I said is it? Let's scrap global sport?

I am more than happy to have any amount of global sports events on my doorstep but also reserve the right to have a whinge if the staging of them pisses me off - even a little. The two things are NOT mutually exclusive, it aint an either/or thing y'see? What REALLY gets my goat is the bleating and bloody whinging of the so-called enthusiasts who bang on about miserablists spoiling their fun.

If your fun can be spoiled so easily then it must be built on sandy foundations old son. If I was a huge fan of the games I would not let any amount of curmudgeonly groaning spoil one iota of it for me much less spend time attacking those responsible.

I should smile at them and say "Fuck you mate, I don't care what you think I'M gonna have fun!" I might even go so far as drawing a biro tattoo of three rings on my forearm (not the whole five in case LOCOG was watching and not four 'cause Audi might want a piece of me) and wave a flag and cheer as a thousand grinning locals exhort us once more to rejoice and join in the collective grinning whilst watching the facial muscles of every newsreader and tv presentr go into a permanent rictus as they tell us all yet again how fucking amazing it all is and wheel on a 6 year old to show us all what the spirit of the games is truly all about.

In short then - love the sport, think the women did a splendid job of kicking things off against the kiwis - hate the oppressive moaning of the 'Don't-spoil-it-for-me! Just rejoice' brigade. But then some people are only ever truly happy when they can point at other people and shout "There's one! He's a Games Denier!" That is how they measure the level of fun they are having.

[red devil]

@#$%& you mate, I don't care what you think I'M gonna have fun!

Huzzah for the Olympics!