Olympinonsense

[Northender]

May I just share something that's been puzzling me? I may? Thank you!
Shops have been allowed to open for longer on Sundays during the Olympics and Paralympics. However - yes, you can see where this is going, can't you - the more successful Team GB is, the more people presumably switch on the telly to watch and continue to watch. Meanwhile, the shops are presumably paying staff - possibly at more than the normal rate - to sit at idle tills and not stack full shelves because footfall has declined.

[Lateralthinking1]

May I just share something that's been puzzling me? I may? Thank you!
Shops have been allowed to open for longer on Sundays during the Olympics and Paralympics. However - yes, you can see where this is going, can't you - the more successful Team GB is, the more people presumably switch on the telly to watch and continue to watch. Meanwhile, the shops are presumably paying staff - possibly at more than the normal rate - to sit at idle tills and not stack full shelves because footfall has declined.

I went to buy milk ten minutes away. There was hardly a vehicle on the street and I didn't pass anyone on the pavement.
On my walk, I saw three children walking along with a ball, one guy digging up his garden, an elderly man with his daughter unloading shopping bought at a supermarket, and someone repairing his car. I was the only customer.

That was definitely much quieter than an average Sunday afternoon. However, the two or three shops that were open would have been open anyway. They also keep it in the family - there are no jobs for anyone outside - so I doubt that they paid themselves any more. Generally indifferent service has in the last week become very offhand indeed. Actually, rude.

The roads into Central London were signed along the lines "don't come here unless you have a reason". Many more than expected complied. But at the same time, people in the Park had to exit through a retail area and we were told that everywhere it would be spend, spend, spend. It wasn't. Greedy hotels didn't help. Well over £400 for a room in the Holiday Inn last Friday night.

Once it became clear that London was a ghost town - sales 50% down in many places - they told everyone to come back. Simultaneously, they have closed the retail area next to the Park this weekend for fear of overcrowding. Rubbish management basically and yet those who are caught up with it all are prepared to pretend every bit of reality away. Be very, very afraid.

[John Wright]

This is the most hilarious thread on the forum! Better than the anti-Royalist thread; just a few envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

I mean, I could see the point of this thread if nobody had attended, nobody had watched it on TV, but if these saddos really wanted nothing to do with the Olympics they wouldn't even bother posting. So therefore, just a few envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

[Serial_Apologist]

This is the most hilarious thread on the forum! Better than the anti-Royalist thread; just a few envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

I mean, I could see the point of this thread if nobody had attended, nobody had watched it on TV, but if these saddos really wanted nothing to do with the Olympics they wouldn't even bother posting. So therefore, just a few envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

There can't be anything much worth watching on t' telly...

[John Wright]

There can't be anything much worth watching on t' telly...

Well, there's Sky Arts.

Sky Arts2: Gilbert & Sullivan; later Howard Goodall; later Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

[John Wright]

Lat,

I suggest you dwell on it more over at the thread for envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

[kernelbogey]

.... if these saddos really wanted nothing to do with the Olympics they wouldn't even bother posting.....

It is impossible at the moment to have nothing to do with the Olympics. That's the point.

[Lateralthinking1]

Lat,

I suggest you dwell on it more over at the thread for envious people getting all bitter and twisted, it's superb!!!!!!!!

Yes, well I have trained very hard four times every day on realism, even giving up Christmas. All of my life has been geared towards this event. Now it's here, it's amazing.

I will try to use the appropriate road on the forum rather than ignoring the cordon. As one chap said yesterday, he feels that every time he expresses criticism he will be arrested. But it isn't that bad.

Instead, anyone who wants to be employed in the future and hasn't been involved in the Olympics will just find barriers in their way. East London will be the only area that isn't a ghost town and most of that is still looking pretty ghastly.

[John Wright]

It is impossible at the moment to have nothing to do with the Olympics. That's the point.

Eh no, my neighbour next door is enjoying an alternative to Olympics; as I said, for example, Sky Arts2: Gilbert & Sullivan; later Howard Goodall; later Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

[John Wright]

Hmmm, you really are envious Lat. The stress might be harmful, I would check blood pressure, right now.

[Lateralthinking1]

Hmmm, you really are envious Lat. The stress might be harmful, I would check blood pressure, right now.

As I generally say to people who talk about the politics of envy, don't flatter yourselves. Genuinely, I wouldn't want to be like that - it must be awful - but peculiarly I don't want there to be increasing numbers of human beings in the gutter.

Most of the tears we are seeing are from the winners. What does that tell us?

The whole notion of this lot's view about that lot, or this person in relation to those people, is very one-two. That is the way of the compulsively competitive. In real life, there are groups that are at three, four, five, etc, ie people who are (only currently?) neither victorious or bludgeoned. Let us hope we can aim to keep it that way and that the decision makers will want to.

Anyhow, as you say, this is more for the other thread and I will honour it as best as I can. There is bound to be some criss-crossing. Rest assured that no comment here is about you personally as I have no knowledge of your situation.

[John Wright]

Most of the tears we are seeing are from the winners. What does that tell us?

It tells us, Lat, that you might be lacking in some human emotional stimulus. Have you never seen your daughter win a dancing competition? Or your son score a cup final winner? Or heard a pupil tell your wife what a wonderful teacher she is? When I feel like a winner I let the tears flow.

Now, you do have knowledge of my situation; I am very human.

[Lateralthinking1]

It tells us, Lat, that you might be lacking in some human emotional stimulus. Have you never seen your daughter win a dancing competition? Or your son score a cup final winner? Or heard a pupil tell your wife what a wonderful teacher she is? When I feel like a winner I let the tears flow.

Now, you do have knowledge of my situation; I am very human.

Ah, but that is precisely the point JW.

These people are not the wife, the husband, the girlfriend, the boyfriend, the sister, the brother, the mother, the father, the daughter, the son, the cousin, the friend, the colleague, the neighbour or even the local supermarket cashier of 99.999% of the people who are watching. They will never speak to you or me or any one else other than via the media.

I am not against most of them personally and in a few cases I have some regard for them but the manner in which they are made to seem broadly relevant is political. Arguably, they are as manipulated as the spectators although they have more to gain as individuals. And most of them are not of the character to be full of adulation for strangers themselves.

Am I against the Olympics principle? No. I think it was great originally but I feel that it should be a far more modest affair. Why should Team GB sing the National Anthem? Because they should be representing the whole country.

[John Wright]

You miss the point Lat, again. You asked why the winners cried and I explained that when I am with my family and I (or they) are a winner then I cry, so I know why.

You have not had the same experiences, but that is no excuse for your disrespectful comments. Accept that you haven't experienced the same, admit your envy.

[mangerton]

And some perhaps inadvertent... e.g. "There's Neil Harvey standing at leg-slip with his legs wide apart, waiting for a tickle"

Which to return to the Olympic theme, of course reminds one of David Coleman's immortal "Now Juantorena opens his legs and really shows his class."

Oh! and yes! Bravo Andy Murray. A great Scottish victory!

So I believe!

If Bill McLaren were still here - "They'll be dancing in the streets of Dunblane tonight!"