Olympic torch relay

[Dezi]

The Olympic torch arrived in Bournemouth last night & this morning carried on to Christchurch & all points east.

Fortunately for us it went past the top of the road, so many pics were snapped & sent off to family around the World.

First reaction from brother in law in the good ol U.S. of A. Is that he cannot believe how close the public are allowed to get to the participants.

When I also pointed out that the police escort, mainly ladies, are unarmed, he just commented that it would never happen in the States.

Dezi c:

 

[Robmac]

I don't believe in all of the pomp and ceremony that goes with the Olympics, we could use existing stadiums for the events, we must be spending millions on the security and management of the flame.
Our economy is in tatters so why splash out more than we need to on this? I think we could have got more respect by doing the events 'on the cheap' and made it more about the sports rather than trying to outdo previous hosts.

 

[vindiboy]

I don't believe in all of the pomp and ceremony that goes with the Olympics, we could use existing stadiums for the events, we must be spending millions on the security and management of the flame.
Our economy is in tatters so why splash out more than we need to on this? I think we could have got more respect by doing the events 'on the cheap' and made it more about the sports rather than trying to outdo previous hosts.

My view exactly , although I have no interest in any sport so I am biased, I did watch it at Bournemouth on TV Yesterday or some of it before I became bored,I just don't understand all the Hype. The pundits say the Olympics will generate Millions of pounds but none of it will come my way I am sure.To all of you that enjoy sport I hope you have a fabulous time and the Olympics are a great success for you.

 

[Dezi]

I don't believe in all of the pomp and ceremony that goes with the Olympics, we could use existing stadiums for the events, we must be spending millions on the security and management of the flame.
Our economy is in tatters so why splash out more than we need to on this? I think we could have got more respect by doing the events 'on the cheap' and made it more about the sports rather than trying to outdo previous hosts.

That is exactly the ethos that was set out when we bid for the games.

Unlike the Chinese we do not have 25 squillion people to order around at will so we were never going to match the show they put on.

Dezi c:

 

[maingate]

The planning was already done and construction started BEFORE the recession hit us.

Just ask anyone who tried to find a pitch on a site in the London area in 2007/8. I was one of them.

The CS I was on was full of workers (there were a lot more than 5 vans on ).

 

[Somelier]

This has probably been said before, but the supporters of the olympics - Boris etc - say it will make more people, especially youngsters, interested in sport and turn us healthier, so who are one of the main sponsors? MacDonalds, what could be unhealthier than that!

Also, they insist that the whole of the UK will benefit - oh yeh, come off it. Those of use who live north of Watford (and therefore don't exist) will see no benefit whatsoever! In fact, many organisations throughout the UK are having to cut back, or are not getting any cash at all, because so much money is being taken from the lottery fund that there's not enough to give to those deserving causes that really need it!

Will I be glued to the TV set for the olympics (note no capital o), no I bloody well won't!!!

 

[ellisboy]

The Torches!

A waste of time, money and common sense.The money should have been spent on repairing our 3rd world roads,an utter disgrace .It took six weeks to repair one of the bridges in Chrishchurch and less than that for 50% of the Tarmac to fall off!. They repaired it two days before the torches parade.
what a bunch of useless :shag: :mad1:

 

[Robmac]

I've said this before, but, how many tonnes of fireworks has Boris authorised to be detonated at the ceremonies, whilst cycling to work to improve his carbon footprint?

EDIT: (Although I see now that Lord Coe is considering cancelling the fireworks on environmental grounds)

 

[vindiboy]

I've said this before, but, how many tonnes of fireworks has Boris authorised to be detonated at the ceremonies, whilst cycling to work to improve his carbon footprint?

EDIT: (Although I see now that Lord Coe is considering cancelling the fireworks on environmental grounds)

I have been watching the BBC programmes on Volcanoes that they are currently showing, fabulous ,but seeing the tons of gasses these Volcanoes are throwing into the atmosphere daily Worldwide , I cant see how a few fireworks can make any difference to our world and we do love Fireworks, Spain do Fireworks very well, but you could go deaf watching them.

 

[Robmac]

I have been watching the BBC programmes on Volcanoes that they are currently showing, fabulous ,but seeing the tons of gasses these Volcanoes are throwing into the atmosphere daily Worldwide , I cant see how a few fireworks can make any difference to our world and we do love Fireworks, Spain do Fireworks very well, but you could go deaf watching them.

I know what you are saying, but by the same token, cycling to work would be a miniscule difference, it is the accumulation of millions of sources of gases which do the damage, (unfortunately including Motorhomes!).
I just find it a bit hypocritical on Boris's part.

 

[Northerner]

As Dame Tessa Jowell said in an interview in this morning's Daily Telegraph: "If some curmudgeons want to be curmudgeonly, that's their right and they can ignore the Olympics or go off somewhere else."

However, I shall be joining the vast majority of Britons who will enjoy the whole thing and rejoice in the sight of young men and women who have trained hard for years, enjoying their moment of fame as they strive to represent their countries to the best of their abilities.

I shall also rejoice in the investment in, and resurgence of, a very deprived area of London, the massive amount of business that's been generated for companies, large and small, all over the U.K and the huge increase in tourism that the exposure to the rest of the world has already generated.

So you lot, carry on curmudgeoning away if it makes you happy!

Perhaps it could be made an Olympic sport? "And competing in today's curmudgeoning final in the new Victor Meldrew Stadium, we have....................................." :have fun:

 

[Robmac]

I shall certainly rejoice in the sport, the pomp and ceremony bores me to be frank!

 

[vindiboy]

As Dame Tessa Jowell said in an interview in this morning's Daily Telegraph: "If some curmudgeons want to be curmudgeonly, that's there right and they can ignore the Olympics or go off somewhere else."

However, I shall be joining the vast majority of Britons who will enjoy the whole thing and rejoice in the sight of young men and women who have trained hard for years, enjoying their moment of fame as they strive to represent their countries to the best of their abilities.

I shall also rejoice in the investment in, and resurgence of, a very deprived area of London, the massive amount of business that's been generated for companies, large and small, all over the U.K and the huge increase in tourism that the exposure to the rest of the world has already generated.

So you lot, carry on curmudgeoning away if it makes you happy!

Perhaps it could be made an Olympic sport? "And competing in today's curmudgeoning final in the new Victor Meldrew Stadium, we have....................................." :have fun:[/QUOTE

We have ----- the Company responsible for the security, they recon to loose 50 million, in spite of being paid 298 Million or that is what I read LOL

 

[antiquesam]

Of course the curmudgeonly can't ignore it. It is putting heaven knows how much onto the National Debt, it is clogging the streets with people running around with pieces of burning metal, London will come to a standstill and the television will be wall to wall sport. This and the fact that when I delivered to the Olympic site on a regular basis I never spoke to a bloke with a British accent so the story of it creating jobs for the locals wasn't exactly true either. Thank God I don't have a TV in the van.

 

[Northerner]

Of course the curmudgeonly can't ignore it. It is putting heaven knows how much onto the National Debt, it is clogging the streets with people running around with pieces of burning metal, London will come to a standstill and the television will be wall to wall sport. This and the fact that when I delivered to the Olympic site on a regular basis I never spoke to a bloke with a British accent so the story of it creating jobs for the locals wasn't exactly true either. Thank God I don't have a TV in the van.

It's created a massive number of jobs and business for British companies from construction to catering! The West Midlands region alone has benefited enormously in work for large and small companies and of course even if a large company gets a contract the trickle-down effect to their suppliers is immense. And don't forget that a lot of the cost has been borne by the advertisers who are paying squillions to be able to be sponsors of the games.

However, I have to award you my first gold medal in curmudgeoning for describing an event which, judging by the crowds, has brought so much pleasure to Britain, as 'clogging the streets with pieces of burning metal'. Absolutely priceless Meldrewing, which is an even higher art form than curmudgeoning!

Anyway, I'm going out for the evening after my shower as I need cheering up after this thread!

 

[Robmac]

As Dame Tessa Jowell said in an interview in this morning's Daily Telegraph: "If some curmudgeons want to be curmudgeonly, that's their right and they can ignore the Olympics or go off somewhere else."

However, I shall be joining the vast majority of Britons who will enjoy the whole thing and rejoice in the sight of young men and women who have trained hard for years, enjoying their moment of fame as they strive to represent their countries to the best of their abilities.

I shall also rejoice in the investment in, and resurgence of, a very deprived area of London, the massive amount of business that's been generated for companies, large and small, all over the U.K and the huge increase in tourism that the exposure to the rest of the world has already generated.

So you lot, carry on curmudgeoning away if it makes you happy!

Perhaps it could be made an Olympic sport? "And competing in today's curmudgeoning final in the new Victor Meldrew Stadium, we have....................................." :have fun:

Firstly, I don't take too much notice of Tessa Jowell, she can say what she likes but I find it hard to give her credibility. But in response to your post, and I may well be wrong, but I haven't seen any evidence of increased tourism, and I think that when foreign visitors have to cope with the 'improved' M25 they will never want to come again!

And yes, some businesses have done well from the Olympics, and I daresay some Business owners have become very rich through it, but a lot of Eastern European workers have ben employed who subsequently export the money they have earned back to their families.

I am not boycotting the games, I just think that we should be economising.

 

[Dezi]

I first represented the school in athletics aged 9 & finally ceased sporting activity aged 60 so I accept that I am a founding member of the old school.

-To much sport is nowhere near enough –

Obviously this mean that I totally disagree with the majority of the previous comments, however I am magnanimous to accept another’s viewpoint. Just.

I am looking forward to the Olympics & believe 90% of the Country feels the same way, certainly plenty of enthusiasm on show this morning.

Dezi c:

 

[John H]

As a sports lover, I find that the most enjoyment is to be had from both participating in and watching sport at "lower" levels. These days, for example, I'd far rather go to a non-league football match than a premiership match (unless Fulham are playing, of course!) and I have enjoyed attending Internationals in the African Cup of Nations competition more than in Europe (although, sadly, the African teams and players are becoming a bit too Europeanised in their attitudes and approach for my liking). I feel uncomfortable about the sponsorship by fast food and drinks companies (particularly as, when I go to see the Olympic football group stages at St James Park - the only event my son could get us tickets for! - we will not be allowed to take our own food and drink in and will have to pay vastly inflated monopolisitic prices). In short, I will probably enjoy a lot of the sport (on television) but on the whole I am glad I won't be present at the events (except for that one because my son was determined that we should be able to say "we was there"). And "come on Brad - and Chris......"

 

[Robmac]

I first represented the school in athletics aged 9 & finally ceased sporting activity aged 60 so I accept that I am a founding member of the old school.

-To much sport is nowhere near enough –

Obviously this mean that I totally disagree with the majority of the previous comments, however I am magnanimous to accept another’s viewpoint. Just.

I am looking forward to the Olympics & believe 90% of the Country feels the same way, certainly plenty of enthusiasm on show this morning.

Dezi c:

Not sure about the 90% figure, who knows, but you can guarantee the same arguments are going on in forums and pubs up and down the land, and many people are against the spending.

 

[antiquesam]

Enjoy your night out Northerner, hope it isn't a sports night. The wife has just told me the flame passes the top of our street on monday. I'm going to get drunk tomorrow night.