Olympinonsense

[Flosshilde]

Forever moaning about the 'cost' of the Olympics is no different about moaning about the cost of, say, the Proms. The regular staging of such events tend to happen irrespective of the economic conditions at the time. One could easily argue that the Proms are also too expensive to stage in the current 'cuts' climate.

Lets see - I don't have the cost of the Proms to hand, but the Limpics have/will cost £9bn (according to the Guardian; £24bn according to the Mail) for an event lasting 6 weeks, or so, with no definite use for the facilities afterwards. If the Proms cost that I'd certainly be questioning it! (fantasy Proms - what line-up would you have for £9bn?)

When one digs down into the reasons why some people moan about such events it almost always has a lot (if not everything) to do with politics. The great majority of us are apolitical and just want to have a good time and enjoy ourselves.

The bread & circuses approach.

However, in the end, it's all these happy, smiling young (and older) faces that really does it for me ... such things are genuinely priceless!

I'd rather see happy, smiling faces (young and old) because libraries were still open, playing fields not built on, allotments not destroyed

[BBMmk2]

That breakpoiint he had was very annoying~!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

an event lasting 6 weeks, or so

Oh dear gods, NO! I was quite content being an envious, miserable git for a fortnight, but SIX WEEKS!!!! infinite

I'd rather see happy, smiling faces (young and old) because libraries were still open, playing fields not built on, allotments not destroyed

[scottycelt]

I'd rather see happy, smiling faces (young and old) because libraries were still open, playing fields not built on, allotments not destroyed

Sorry, I simply don't see what any of that wearying political stuff has got to do with London staging the Olympics ...

Libraries have always been closed, playing fields built on, and allotments destroyed ... maybe even in the process of building modern art galleries and concert halls?

[amateur51]

Sorry, I simply don't see what any of that wearying political stuff has got to do with London staging the Olympics ...

Well that's your tragedy, scotty

[Flosshilde]

& he claims to be apolitical, while vociferously supporting one of the most political organisations in the world!

[Flosshilde]

Oh dear gods, NO! I was quite content being an envious, miserable git for a fortnight, but SIX WEEKS!!!! infinite

I was including the Paralympics, but I doubt that they will get the blanket coverage that the Limpics get

[scottycelt]

Well that's your tragedy, scotty

I consider it rather a bit of a blessing, Amsey ...

[John Wright]

London is full of happy smiling people; I feel like a stranger in my own city.

(From Matt in the Telegraph)

[amateur51]

I was including the Paralympics, but I doubt that they will get the blanket coverage that the Limpics get

I've seen quite a lot of wheelchair basketball and can heartily recommend it if you like fiercely contested fast-moving skilful ball sports.

It also has a wonderful chivalric side - if a player falls out of his/her chair, the game stops, the time is stopped and another player quietly glides up to the fallen one and makes his/her chair 'available' for the fallen one to use to get back into his/her chair. Then the time re-starts. No-one watches, no-one comments - it didn't happen.

[amateur51]

London is full of happy smiling people; I feel like a stranger in my own city.

(From Matt in the Telegraph)

I see you're from Warwickshire, JW

[Beef Oven]

London is full of happy smiling people; I feel like a stranger in my own city.

(From Matt in the Telegraph)

[John Wright]

I see you're from Warwickshire, JW

Ha ha not really, this house I am sitting in used to be in Warwickshire, is now in the bloody West Midlands, 1 mile from Warwickshire..... many of us here just like to think we are still in Warwickshire

[scottycelt]

& he claims to be apolitical, while vociferously supporting one of the most political organisations in the world!

[scottycelt]

I've seen quite a lot of wheelchair basketball and can heartily recommend it if you like fiercely contested fast-moving skilful ball sports.

Spot on, amsey .. and don't the vast majority of able-bodied TeamGB's medals come from 'sitting-down' sports, anyway?