Olympics ! ! Pah ! !

[verytalldave]

Am I the only soul walking the face of the earth who couldn't give a flying fig as far as the Olympics are concerned?
To me its just an expensive overhyped waste of time.
I cant wait for August 28th.
And 2012 we be 10 times worse.

 

[Howard]

Nope , i couldn't give a toss either ....

It will bankrupt London .

 

[V8mate]

Am I the only soul walking the face of the earth who couldn't give a flying fig as far as the Olympics are concerned?
To me its just an expensive overhyped waste of time.
I cant wait for August 28th.
And 2012 we be 10 times worse.

+1

 

[Ade B]

I think the world would be a worse place without it - some of you really are miserable cynics. I think its a problem with UK coverage, we only measure such events in the short term effect on the taxpayer..

Why don't we bin other wastes of money whilst were at it - the arts, I mean they're a load of old toss after all..


Ade

 

[ackers]

Whats the betting it tops £20bn for the London Olympics.

 

[Howard]

Easily ...

And then while all the old grannies are freezing to death because they can't afford to heat their flats , the Olympic Commitee and the Government can congratulate themselves on what a success it all was

 

[Ade B]

Whats the betting it tops £20bn for the London Olympics.

Again it comes down to the English obsession with bean counting and committees. Given the state of the uk construction industry, I'd be amazed if it was completed on time at all..

Best not bother eh? What's the point?


Ade (who will actually be contributing towards it in his council tax bills).

 

[verytalldave]

I think the world would be a worse place without it - some of you really are miserable cynics. I think its a problem with UK coverage, we only measure such events in the short term effect on the taxpayer..

Why don't we bin other wastes of money whilst were at it - the arts, I mean they're a load of old toss after all..


Ade

Most of it is. You are totally correct.
To call that scruffy, untalented article Tracy Emin and those like her, an "artist" is an insult to those with true creativity and verve. Many who will go through their whole lives unrecognised and unrewarded. But an attention seeking reject like TE gets lauded and praised.

 

[st4]

+1

+2

I might add about the common wealth games in Glasgow too. Who in Glasgow will care about these if Rangers and/or Celtic are playing

 

[verytalldave]

Whats the betting it tops £20bn for the London Olympics.

Better spent on London schools to help raise our education levels to that of a third world country like India or Pakistan.

 

[Ade B]

Most of it is. You are totally correct.
To call that scruffy, untalented article Tracy Emin and those like her, an "artist" is an insult to those with true creativity and verve. Many who will go through their whole lives unrecognised and unrewarded. But an attention seeking reject like TE gets lauded and praised.

Do you like what you know and know what you like Dave?

Ade

 

[verytalldave]

Do you like what you know and know what you like Dave?

Ade

Absolutely.

Remember, its all only my opinion.


Good art is something which is likable and you extract some pleasure from it.
Its also something which takes the the human race forward and improves life in some way.

How on earth can an unmade, dirty bed do any of those things? As an example.

 

[st13phil]

Am I the only soul walking the face of the earth who couldn't give a flying fig as far as the Olympics are concerned?

Nope, I couldn't give a stuff either. Wonderful for those involved and all that, but I'd rather not see or hear anything about it. And for me it's nothing to do with how much it costs either. My dislike of these things extends to the football World Cup & European Cup, Wimbledon, Test Matches, the Ryder Cup, horse racing and just about any other sport that doesn't involve an internal combustion engine

 

[W210 Fan]

Nope, I couldn't give a stuff either. Wonderful for those involved and all that, but I'd rather not see or hear anything about it. And for me it's nothing to do with how much it costs either. My dislike of these things extends to the football World Cup & European Cup, Wimbledon, Test Matches, the Ryder Cup, horse racing and just about any other sport that doesn't involve an internal combustion engine

yep me too, no fossil fuels, no fun, im all for humans pushing themselves to the limit, just do it in a car, its more fun for me to watch,

and with regards to horse racing and running etc do these people not know you can get a lot further in the car???

 

[Ade B]

Good art is something which is likable and you extract some pleasure from it.
Its also something which takes the the human race forward and improves life in some way.

I don't agree with your first point imho you are confusing taste with judgement, but the second rings true if you think that enabling people to see things in a different way is important.

Re TE, I'm not a big fan and she has a high profile and is an easy target for ridicule (today's liberal, dull, middle class paper article for example).

Re the Olympics If you don't like the coverage, then don't watch it. It is a major cultural event simply by its scale, and whilst no one would pretend it is still the same as a few Greeks rolling around in the arena dirt, it represents the pursuit of excellence, is democratic in as much as it can be, brings a lot of different folk together and so far has not been completely subsumed by corporate sponsorship and betting cartels.

The problem is governments looking for the Olympics to be some kind of economic shot in the arm with the resultant hand wringing over costs. Nothing to do with the sporting side. At least in the UK they are looking at the lifetime use of the infrastructure. If you walk round Barcelona, there are a lot of underused facilities, although I did watch a fun local footie game on the archery range there.

I enjoy watching some of the events, as do a lot of people (granted pistol shooting is a bit dull). And I can't really see the link to freezing Grannies either.

Long may it continue. (the Olympics not cold OAPs).

Ade

 

[grober]

PARANOIA or something more sinister?

My objection is that it brings legitimacy to a totalitarian state where human rights are pretty questionable. Just before the kickoff they have suddenly "discovered" a group of Islamic Fundamentalists no one has heard of before, who may threaten the games. Cue the mobilisation of thousands of members of "security" forces to "protect" visitors and athletes from the general Chinese population. PARANOID doesn't begin to describe the ruling regime in China. So much for the "GAMES" building bridges to the general populace. Wonder if they said the same thing before the Berlin Olympics in 1936? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Summer_Olympics

 

[Gollom]

Absolutely.

Remember, its all only my opinion.


Good art is something which is likable and you extract some pleasure from it.
Its also something which takes the the human race forward and improves life in some way.

How on earth can an unmade, dirty bed do any of those things? As an example.

I agree with you re the bed etc. But I was pleasantly surprised to see some bird drawings she did in pencil. They were actually very good

 

[Colin_b]

I think the world would be a worse place without it - some of you really are miserable cynics. I think its a problem with UK coverage, we only measure such events in the short term effect on the taxpayer..

Why don't we bin other wastes of money whilst were at it - the arts, I mean they're a load of old toss after all..


Ade

Good move. Let them who care, pay. See if they can find enough fans to pay for the london olympics and the arts....

 

[wallingd]

It comes but once every 4 years. Let's enjoy it. I will. The numerics of it all are somewhat significant to those with that sort of a mind anyway .

 

[SimonsMerc]

Personally I'm very glad that the Olympic Games will be held in London, and I am more than happy to pay my fair share in taxes to make it happen.

It has already brought large developmental benefits to the are in which I live (Wembley), and I am pretty sure it is doing the same for other parts of London.

More than that, I will be able to take my children and go and see sport at an international level, right here in my home town. I am sure that they will love it, and it will be an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

I think too many people here are cynical whingers. If you don't want to watch, and you don't want to participate, don't. Yes you'll help pay for it with taxes - which were agreed by your elected representatives. You don't get a direct choice, just like I don't get a direct choice that the taxes I pay are propping up teenage mothers in Liverpool who do nothing but eat and produce children. That's democracy in practice; you could always move somewhere else (like perhaps the location of the current Olympics).

What about a bit of national pride for a change? What's wrong with a bit of patriotism? Roll on 2012 - I am looking forward to it. God Save the Queen!

-simon