Olympinonsense

[Northender]

I see Nadal has pulled out of the Olympics - will there be other high-profile 'no-shows', I wonder?

[Flosshilde]

That'll be the whole world except mangerton then. Good time to go shopping - or rob a bank!

& me.

Is it robbing when one is simply re-appropriating what belonged to one in the first place - ie the tax-payer's money that ws used to bail them out? (sorry to come over all Tax Payers' Alliance. )

[mangerton]

& me.

Is it robbing when one is simply re-appropriating what belonged to one in the first place - ie the tax-payer's money that ws used to bail them out? (sorry to come over all Tax Payers' Alliance. )

That could be a most interesting defence. Definitely worth a try. Tell you what. You provide a couple of striped jerseys and I'll bring the masks and two bags marked "swag".

[Lateralthinking1]

I see Nadal has pulled out of the Olympics - will there be other high-profile 'no-shows', I wonder?

Yes I wonder. Perhaps he feels that it isn't his year at Wimbledon.

Having just watched the BBC4 documentary about the infamous 100m race at Seoul in 1988, I was reminded of the main problem I have with the Olympics. Those on performance enhancing drugs killed them, at least from a historical perspective.

The problem existed long before those games, eg among East German cheats described as athletes. I don't know which games one can think back on with record books to hand and say "those were the last games when such cheating didn't exist". 1976? 1972? 1968? 1964? 1960? Anyone have a view? I would like to feel sure because to my mind everything else is meaningless.

Perhaps in some ways that is the biggest issue of all. The one from which all of the other gripes about costs, commercialism, greed, inequality, terrible organisation, security, traffic chaos etc fundamentally emanate, whether we are aware of it or not.

[Northender]

Thank you for articulating so clearly one of the main reasons for my instinctive mistrust - shared, I'm sure by many others - of many 'achievements' in track and field events. When it comes to sporting events, if I have reason to believe that I may not be able to believe what I'm watching, then I see no reason to watch. I'll reserve my suspension of disbelief for 'The Hollow Crown'.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes I wonder. Perhaps he feels that it isn't his year at Wimbledon.

Having just watched the BBC4 documentary about the infamous 100m race at Seoul in 1988, I was reminded of the main problem I have with the Olympics. Those on performance enhancing drugs killed them, at least from a historical perspective.

The problem existed long before those games, eg among East German cheats described as athletes. I don't know which games one can think back on with record books to hand and say "those were the last games when such cheating didn't exist". 1976? 1972? 1968? 1964? 1960? Anyone have a view? I would like to feel sure because to my mind everything else is meaningless.

Perhaps in some ways that is the biggest issue of all. The one from which all of the other gripes about costs, commercialism, greed, inequality, terrible organisation, security, traffic chaos etc fundamentally emanate, whether we are aware of it or not.

Well said, Lat.

[Northender]

Greater Manchester Police have been asked to help out with the footie after only 9 out of 140 G4S stewards turned up for training.

[amateur51]

Greater Manchester Police have been asked to help out with the footie after only 9 out of 140 G4S stewards turned up for training.

Ah that selection & training regime must've been soooo rigorous

[Northender]

Ah that selection & training regime must've been soooo rigorous

No double 'O's - how many times do you need telling!

[amateur51]

No double 'O's - how many times do you need telling!

[Bryn]

[Northender]

Please, Lord Seb Sir, look what Bryn's done! I tried to stop him, honest I did. I'm a good boy I am. I got a gold (no, make that a silver - no, a plasticine) star for my essay on the *lymp*c G*m*s.

[kernelbogey]

Six people have been arrested by the police for criminal damage - spilling green custard in Trafalgar Square - in the course of a 15-minute piece of theatre protesting against Olympic sponsorship by Dow Chemical and others.

[Lateralthinking1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vyhth

[Northender]

Thank you! That is, by some way, the clearest exposition I've seen (so far) of Perfect Curve's strategy.