Seeing as the Olympics are now apon us, I thought we should have a thread about it, so see how everyone feels about it.
I'm actually rather irritated by the games so far. It's not the Olympics them selfs I object to. I think, in principle, a worldwide non political sporting event is a wonderful idea. A chance for humanity to come together under a peacfull banner and all share in the same thing.
However, the inconvenience and chaos caused from holding such an event is what really irks me. Because I live and work in central London, I now have to work through the night waiting for deliveries. And because i'm in the building over night, i'm also expected to do all the cleaning, and a lot of maintenance. For only £9 per hour. I start at midnight, and work to 9 / 10 am. then back at 5pm the same day, and work until 10 am the following day. Unlike those greedy unions, I won't get a bonus, or the chance to strike.
Our parks, which are beautiful and provide much needed reliefe form city life, have bene taken over, and largly closed for Olympic events. The transport is even worse than normal, and the chaos caused by G4S, heathrow immigration, the Libor scandal an that no one has any idea what to do with the stadium afterwards is an embarressment. I can't wait for them to be over. Although I'm rather looking forward to the paralympics.
So, what are you'r feelings about this? Do you Love, Like, or loath the games?
I like the principle of them but to me they are a waste of money and create more hassle then they are worth. Money spent on the olympics could be mucyh better spent on other things including the huge amount of debt we are in.
Although I don't live in London, I have to agree that what the Olympics represent, and how they are being handled is two completely different things.
My main annoyance is with the sponsorship. Firstly the amount of "Official Suppliers" is ridiculous, do the Olympics really need an "Official Supplier of Cereal Bars to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games"??? (It's Nature Valley if anyone's interested)
Secondly though, it's the way these companies (I'm looking at you VISA) are using the Olympics as a way of pushing out any other competitors, and forcing people to use only ther services. Not only did you HAVE to have a Visa card to buy tickets, but apparently cash machines inside the Olympic Park will all be Visa only as well.
And the list of banned items from the park is annoying as well. Once you actually find it that is . . .
I'm very excited about the Olympics coming to London.
It should be great for the country as a whole - great worldwide exposure to show how well we can (hopefully) put on a spectacle.
Personally, the Olympics represent the 'best' of what a human can naturally achieve. There's something appealing about seeing who can run the fastest, jump the highest etc...
Whilst I understand the negative aspects levelled at us hosting the event I can't help but think it's something quite unique. It's unlikely that any of us will see the Olympics here again in our lifetimes.
I personally am very excited about the Olympics. I come from the home of the Paralympics, know someone who is now a member of team GB & just love the it's bringing out the patriotism in (most) people. This year is an amazing year to be British. I'm one of those sad people who will buy practically anything that's associated to the games & currently have some mugs, wristbands, a scarf AND I'm collecting the stickers. I can't to see what our guys & girls can do, I'm sure they'll make us proud :]
Having said all that, I do understand the impact the games are having on all sorts of things & think that perhaps the planning could have been better. I am a little worried about things going wrong. It wouldn't look good for us as a nation if mistakes are made on such a huge scale :/
I agree that it's costing alot of money - money that have been put into much needed areas like education & the NHS. But, they are arguing that we'll recoop at least some of the money through the numerous sponsorship deals & tourism. I guess we just have to wait & see if this is the case... Not gonna hold my breath though.
I'm very excited about the Olympics coming to London.
It should be great for the country as a whole - great worldwide exposure to show how well we can (hopefully) put on a spectacle.
Personally, the Olympics represent the 'best' of what a human can naturally achieve. There's something appealing about seeing who can run the fastest, jump the highest etc...
Whilst I understand the negative aspects levelled at us hosting the event I can't help but think it's something quite unique. It's unlikely that any of us will see the Olympics here again in our lifetimes.
Very well said. I agree with this wholeheartedly :]
I love the IDEA of it. But the whole farce with the tickets & then all the roadworks that have been going on for years for it just don't seem worth it at all! I live in Coventry & there's gonna be like 10 football games here, but the amount of roadworks has been ridiculous & then all the traffic there will be when the games are on is gonna be crazy!
It feels like we are putting on a show for everyone that doesn't even live here. The fact we have the olympics here this year should have meant it was a lot easier for British people to get tickets and actually enjoy the games.
im not keen on them and probably wont watch much - just planning on watching the archery on TV
i hate the amount of corporate sponsorship of what should be a neutral games. I mean top olympians promoting stuff and junk and getting paid for it annoys me. i've seen enough of people like Victoria Pendleton to last me a life time! when they go on about being "better" than other endorsers or tabloid celebrities cause they have certain skills annoys me! Yeah slightly better role models but the women atheletes sponsoring make up and saying it's crucial to their sucess isn't good. and also the sponsors like McDonalds, coke ect - when the country struggles with obesity are these really the right companies, or just the ones that pay the most money? honestly there's adverts linking female olympians sucess to a certain brand of tampon I also hate that people have stuck flags on utter tat and it'll sell as well
I also hate how it's so london centric. Manchester is lucky to host some of the football teams but there's so many better places and areas in need of developments and buildings than London. I shouldnt be suprised cause it's always the same but not many places "up north" will benifit from this, and probably most Londoners won't either.
ticket prices were contraversial too, apparently they were rather expensive. as well as hotels going up in price too.
it's overbudget and there's no solid figures as they will be fudged. there's also some evidence that the anticipated visitor level will not be reached so any benifit to tourisim is a bit dubious. as a country that is struggling the games are not a good thing to spend on - and we would have known that when we had the bid.
I also do not like that the paralympics get less coverage - though that's not a brittish thing, it happens every time which is a shame as the participants are just as dedicated and skilled.
I wonder if the G4s debacle is because they didnt want to risk the bad publicity of using people on mandatory work - like at the jubilee. I do not like milliatary prescence personally, but understand why it is needed though its more cost. also not keen on the court ruling that the govt can park missile defence systems on peoples roof without their permission, sets a potentially dangerous precident
I'm not keen on patriotism as well as it's very close to nationalisim and i do think that it's a little tacky and unecessary at times. I have no real allegience to any country and dont think that winning a medal will really make a nation proud or change things in the grand scheme of things
I also do not like that the paralympics get less coverage - though that's not a brittish thing, it happens every time which is a shame as the participants are just as dedicated and skilled.
This pisses me off too. So so much. But they are TRYING to boost the profile of the Paralympics & the athletes involved. I know it won't make much of a diference in the long run or internationally but it's something at least.
If you haven't seen it already, watch this trailer that aired the other day, it's incredibly inspirational. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuAPPeRg3Nw&list=UU69aGx_Qm_B3uAJ3ackleDw&index=0&feature=plcp
i had the oppertunity to drive busses for the olympics but im so glad i havent gone up there, from what i hear from colleagues that have gone up to london is its utter chaos.
and my dad does lots of work around london, he`s complaining about how he cant wait for it to be over lol.
will be at home because im off sick, so wont affect me much, but i do feel sorry for people working around london.
but i hope the press is not going to pressure our poor athletes into hoping we will win all the golds ( hope we do but im a reallist), know our boys and girls will do their best which is all we can ask of them.
What gets me is lots of people are like support our country for sporting events but will moan the rest of the time. The organisers are only interested in making lots of money and not in supporting the country.
I also do not like that the paralympics get less coverage - though that's not a brittish thing, it happens every time which is a shame as the participants are just as dedicated and skilled.
This pisses me off too. So so much. But they are TRYING to boost the profile of the Paralympics & the athletes involved. I know it won't make much of a diference in the long run or internationally but it's something at least.
Another shame is that as not every sport happens at every Olympics/Paralympics, one that they've left out is basically Paralympic Volleyball (it has another proper name, but can't remember it), which is basically dominated by countries like Cambodia, who have a high percentage of amputees (due to war, landmines etc), and can afford the simple eqiupment of a ball and a net.
Only it won't be held at this years Paralympics, to make way for other sports which require lots of specialist (and therefore expensive) equipment, which alot of countries can't afford, and so can't take part in the games.
i had the oppertunity to drive busses for the olympics but im so glad i havent gone up there, from what i hear from colleagues that have gone up to london is its utter chaos.
I know two people who originally voluneered. One got so annoyed with the way it was being handled that she decided not to go, and one who did, but got there and saw it was even more shambolic than just the initial communications were.
I'm very excited about the Olympics coming to London.
It should be great for the country as a whole - great worldwide exposure to show how well we can (hopefully) put on a spectacle.
Personally, the Olympics represent the 'best' of what a human can naturally achieve. There's something appealing about seeing who can run the fastest, jump the highest etc...
Whilst I understand the negative aspects levelled at us hosting the event I can't help but think it's something quite unique. It's unlikely that any of us will see the Olympics here again in our lifetimes.
well said nexus, the thing that's made me annoyed is the security firm setting things up lied about their capabillity. wouldnt it have been better to have trained a lot of people off the dole queue who would of needed the money and job and t he buzz they would of got,i can only say the moron that took the firm on deserves the sack as well as the firm
The whole private security firm thing, could people really trust a private frim? I mean assuming things did get out of hand I would rather be on the reciebing end of the police or military as opposed to some random ho probably isn't going to care so much about your health. Not that all police are famous for being light handed but still.
Yeah, I get what you mean. I'd rather be protected by someone who has a career in protecting people, rather than just doing a job for a paycheque.
I dislike the way the Olympics have become an orgy of one-upmanship for the world's richer nations. Each country tries to outdo the previous one for the level of irrelevant window-dressing they attach to the games. And because only first-world nations can afford to stage them we end up with more sporting facilities being built in countries that already have masses of them already so the stadia etc left behind become an embarrassment looking for a long-term future.
The games would be just as effective as a pure sporting event on a fraction of the budget and if they were hosted in some of the third-world countries with financial help from all Olympic nations then it might put sporting facilities that are desperately needed in countries like Kenya where they clearly have the sporting talent in abundance but a sad lack of facilities to develop them.
im not keen on them and probably wont watch much - just planning on watching the archery on TV
Made me laugh. Archery is great fun to do, but it's not the best of spectator sports
Depends on whos watching it really. the archery i do is slightly different (and i've won english and scottish national championships) so as a technical point then it is going to be interesting to me!
I also hate that people have stuck flags on utter tat and it'll sell as well