BS: Olympics - London's Shame

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 04:45 PM

From:gnu - PM
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 02:55 PM

I just saw a pic of the mascots Wenlock and Mandeville. Great name choices. That's about all I have to say right now.

Yes, my first thought was "What weird names" but then I realised the derivations.
Much Wenlock was, arguably the forerunner of the modern Olympics.
The modern Paralympics arose from the Stoke Mandeville wheelchair games of 1948.

Cheers

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 05:25 PM

Thanks for the links. I agree, good choices.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 06:43 PM

Best take on "Team GB" was perhaps in the Olympic Games special of Absolutely Fabukous when Edina's mother assumed that "Team GB" must refer to the Gay and Bisexual Olympics which she assumed must be taking place alongside the main event.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: gnu
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 08:45 PM

Okay... I'll say it. What kinda drugs would one hafta take to dream up those mascots? Further, how widespread are these drugs? Seriously... NObody???!!! asked, "What the fuck are those things supposed to be?" At least, that would be my question which would be followed swiftly by, "What else ya got?"

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 09:53 PM

I like the names for the mascots, but I agree that the figures look like extraterrestrial alien rejects.

The home page of my cable supplier (Shaw, Canada) provided pictures of the "10 worst" mascots, with these included in the list.
To me, the worst of all was the mascot for the 1996 games in Atlanta, but there seems to be a tendency towards the ridiculous when originality is striven for.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: gnu
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 10:24 PM

Yes, Q. Exactly what I said in my first post... GREAT names! But... I was reluctant to say exactly what was on my mind at that time re the mascots. Figured I should calm down my initial thoughts.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 03:54 AM

BS = bullsh$t.

Latest reports from the Big Shen:

I've never known an event be over shadowed by such ridiculous brand fascism. A friend of mine who works within the Olympic cordon in a completely unrelated business was stopped by the army in their lunch break and made to throw away a Sainsbury's sandwich as it wasn't "approved Olympic material". What next?

====

'Our bags have a Nike logo but the zippers are Adidas': Sports brand is furious after Egyptian Olympic hopeful reveals kit is Chinese knockoff

After one of Egypt's Olympic swimmers admitted that the team was given knockoff Nike gear from China to compete in, the sports brand has issued a severe warning.

Yomna Khallaf, competing for Egypt in synchronized swimming, tweeted that her Olympic bag had a giant Nike logo... and that the zippers were marked Adidas.

====

Fury as Welsh and Scots snub National Anthem: Captain Giggs stayed silent for God Save The Queen

Footballer Kim Little and another Scottish player, Ifeoma Dieke, had stood silently before Great Britain women's opening match on Wednesday.

Welsh footballers Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy were both criticised for failing to sing at the first British men's football match of the Olympics

Kim Little: Said she made a 'personal choice' not to sing it before her team's matches at the Olympics because she is Scottish.

====

Finally Cornish supporters have been warned that the Cornish flag will be banned from all Oly venues.

====

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 04:23 AM

The Olympic Gold for moaning, denigration, and shit stirring, goes to.............................................................................................................................................................

CJB

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 06:02 AM

Forgetting the usual whinging about such things, the Olympics promise to be a wonderful event. Well done Boris. With the exception of the usual suspects, we are a truly "United Kingdom" for the second time this year!

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 07:28 AM

Regarding the national anthem:
"God Save the Queen" assumes that the singer believes that there is a God.
I would refuse to sing the song on those grounds alone!
And, even if there was a God, I certainly wouldn't want him to save the bloody queen!

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 08:10 AM

It didn't take long for the Daily Mail to get on to its usual Scot bashing which normally rears its head at World Cups etc! Seemingly there is 'fury' that Kim Little didn't sing the anthem. Why should there be fury? She is there to play football not to sing! There are various reasons why someone may not like, or may not wish to sing, the said anthem. The paper seems to suggest that you can't be proud of your country if you don't sing the anthem. That is nonsense! And why does it pick on her? She warrants a front page plus basically the entire fourth page. It is only mentioned in passing that Ifeoma Dieke also didn't sing. Difference being proabbly she is black and American born! Can't have a go at her; maybe wouldn't look good; but white girl born and raised in Scotland is fair game! Likewise Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy are named as non-singers too but no big inquest - no hounding of their relatives!

What makese it worse is that this 'thou wilt comply' attitude is on the same page where they briefly mention that Cornish flags seen at the stadium will be confiscated. No comment from the paper. Apparently they must approve! I didn't know until looking into this today that a Cornish flag carried by one of the torch bearers in Cornwall was confiscated by the police - presumably at the request of the organisers! Why are they so aghast at the idea that part of England may have their own regional identity?

Getting more like North Korea every day.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 08:14 AM

another thing about the anthem. why on earth are they playing two verses? Virtually nobody knows the second verse. As far as I could see no-one sang the second verse!

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 08:35 AM

They're playing the first and third verses. The second one is a bit contentious in these circumstances.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: MikeL2
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 09:36 AM

Hi

I don't care who sings or doesn't sing the National Anthem as long as they play it many times with our contestants on the podium with a medal, preferably GOLD.

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 10:52 AM

It goes on and on...

* Olympics gaffe as hundreds of confused spectators are turned away from archery event billed as 'unticketed'... as organisers insist that actually means 'closed to public'
* Hundreds turned away after unofficial site advertises tickets for event
* Locog insists it had never advertised tickets for event
* Princess Anne among those who DID get in to Lord's for competition
* Archery fans miss two world records being set
* Over 50 fans had queued from 8am hoping to gain free entry on 'first come first served' basis

====

* South Korea's Olympic sailing coach is sent home as he is caught drink driving after Games welcoming party
* Jae-Cheol Lee was more than twice the drink drive limit
* Coach had drunk wine at Olympics drink reception in Weymouth, Dorset
* Ordered to pay fine and costs totaling £340 and was banned from driving in the UK for 18 months

====

For thebtechnical rehearsal on the Opening Ceremony it was reported that G4S 'security' guards let in 100s of people without tickets, and without making any bag checks.

====

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jul 12 - 11:47 AM

In spite of the boobirds and the garbage tabloids, the Games promise to be a great success.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 05:34 AM

27 million UK viewers for the Opening Ceremony last night.
Looks like the Mudcat Usual-Suspect Miserable Old Bastards Club are very much out of step.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: DMcG
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 05:41 AM

27 million UK viewers for the Opening Ceremony last night.
Looks like the Mudcat Usual-Suspect Miserable Old Bastards Club are very much out of step.
Depends how you look at things. It was also the case that there were probably around 50% more people than usual at our singround that clashed. Ok, that's wasn't measured in millions (*smile*) but it does suggest that people who weren't interested were more likely to go out and do other things and would have perhaps been happier with more of the standard Friday-niught TV fare.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 05:43 AM

Re #OlympicCeremony on #BBC2012, as I (Date: 18 Jul 12 - 06:18 AM) feared - Beijing: 90% Chinese culture/London: 90% everybody else's culture.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 05:46 AM

Re #OlympicCeremony on #BBC2012, Beijing: 90% Chinese culture/London: 90% everybody else's culture - as I feared http://walkaboutsverse.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/walkaboutsverse-143-of-230.html

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 05:50 AM

Olympic cleaners are being accommodated in housing that would not meet housing laws.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/202/764/899/olympic-cleaners-deserve-better-living-conditions/

Target: Newham Council and Locog
Sponsored by: Carin Cowell

Their portable-cabin village has been likened to a prison or slum by its new residents. They sleep 10 to a room, share the toilet with 25 others and the shower with 75. Some females have left, refusing to sleep in mixed sex cabins with men they didn't know. Those that have stayed have to pay £18 a day, despite not working for the first two weeks.

Heavy rain has left the site flooded and many cabins are leaking. Crates have been put down as stepping stones.

Many of the workers have come from abroad to the East London camp, despite promises that the jobs would go to Brits.

As the accommodation is temporary, planning was granted and welfare conditions ignored by the council.

This is blatant exploitation in times of crisis; organizers are taking advantage of the unemployed. Join our call for decent accommodation for Olympic cleaners.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 06:04 AM

Miserable sod!

DT

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jul 12 - 02:08 PM

CET, I much prefer the old Daily News for hand-wringing journalism.
See "Horrible London," George R. Sims, 1889.
http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications2/horriblelondon.htm

So far, the Games are trouble-free, and I am sure that they will remain so.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 05:27 AM

"It was also the case that there were probably around 50% more people than usual at our singround that clashed"

Our open mic was the exact opposite. There were seemingly two visitors from Teeside who arrived unannounced but they were the only people who actually turned up excepting the woman who runs the bar!

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 06:50 AM

"two visitors from Teeside"

or even Teesside

g

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:27 AM

"It was also the case that there were probably around 50% more people than usual at our singround that clashed"

Our open mic was the exact opposite.

To be honest, your experience, rather than mine, was the one I had expected. It would be interesting, albeit almost impossible to achieve, to find out what happened more generally. Not only open mic sessions, of course, but cinema attendances, theatres, museum visits - my daughter works at the Natural History Museum and they have greatly extended the opening hours - and so on and so forth. As well as museums my daughter works in theatres a lot, and it seems the impact of the Olympics is The Great Unpredictable - no-one seems to confident whether attendances will be up because of more visitors doing things when whatever they specifically turned up for is not happening that day; or down because the usual audience for the theatre is staying at home or going to the venue.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 08:03 AM

Iam more interested in the galway races

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:25 AM

I am disgusted that many seat reserved for 'corporate' were empty while people who wanted to see the events couldn't get seats.

In my opinion the 'corporates' often only turn up when it is in their paid work time, not just in the olympics but many other sporting events.

Again another example of the total contempt by locog of those who are paying for the games through taxes, and having to bend over backwards so that the 'olympic family' are not slightly inconvenienced.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:29 AM

Appalling treatment for what was a peaceful protest:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19036212

http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk/main.html

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:48 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:25 AM

I am disgusted that many seat reserved for 'corporate' were empty while people who wanted to see the events couldn't get seats.

In my opinion the 'corporates' often only turn up when it is in their paid work time, not just in the olympics but many other sporting events.

Again another example of the total contempt by locog of those who are paying for the games through taxes, and having to bend over backwards so that the 'olympic family' are not slightly inconvenienced.

The reason why so many people were and still are pi$$ed off with the Big Shen. is that despite the numerous announcements from day 1 that the Games were 'for the people, by the people' most were priced out of even applying for tickets, despite having cash taken out of accounts in advance a majority never actually got any tickets, and now we learn that the corporate freeloaders can't even be ar$ed to take up their seats leaving whole blocks of seats empty. Even athletes families couldn't get tickets - they were all reserved for Coe and his corporate cronies.

Since it is almost impossible to attend any of the events the vast majority of the public incl. tourists and locals alike consider themselves well disenfranchised from the whole Shen.

Right now London and the Olympics is a city of two cities - those that have tickets and those that do not. The majority do not. And watching the events on the box makes it all seem to be taking place in a far distant country, which the Games may just as well be.

Throughout the East End graffiti is now appearing stating "We hate the Olympics," etc. - the reason is that for Newnam and Hackney the Olympics are doing nothing for the most deprived and rundown areas in
the country.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blogs/2012/londons-east-end-divided-on-eve-of-games.html

"The stadium is right next door. But it doesn't aid the local community," said Kunal Modi, a 25-year-old musician living in bohemian squalor in [a] huge Victorian building.

"They are all talking about how it's going to have a knock-on effect on the local community but people haven't been allowed to capitalize on it. So that's outrageous."

Millions of foreign visitors descending on London this month may not notice, but within sight of the gleaming Olympic venues are some of the city's most troubled neighborhoods where the unattainable glamor of the Games has only fueled resentment.

That's why we are anti.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:53 AM

The above should read:

Again another example of the total contempt by locog of those who are paying for the games through taxes, and having to bend over backwards so that the 'olympic family' are not slightly inconvenienced.

===

The reason why so many people were and still are pi$$ed off with the Big Shen. is that ... etc. Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 01:02 PM

The treatment of the cyclists is appaling

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:55 PM

""I am more interested in the galway races""

A bit of a no-brainer, considering where you live Dick. And although Galway isn't a capital, I do think it deserves one, don't you?

Don T (with tongue firmly in cheek)

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 11:16 PM

Galway Races, Dick? ~~ The Catholic, The Protestant, The Jew and Presbyterian... Still no Saudi or Brunei women; so London one up there, eh?

... Tho what has happened re the controversy about how the Judo authorities won't let their judoka compete in her head-thing for H&S rules, but the Saudi Olympic people won't let her do so without? They have been threatening to withdraw their whole team over it. Will probably find out about that when morning paper comes.

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 06:44 AM

The BBC is reporting that the empty seats are in the blocks allocated to the "Olympic family". At this stage of the games both athletes and officials are probably focussed on their own events and don't have time to spare. As the games go on we will probably see more of them going to support other athletes. In the meantime LOCOG seems to have made arrangements to let others in to use these seats.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 02:32 PM

At many large sporting events such as football's bowl games in the U.S., blocks of tickets are sold, bringing in the revenue, but may not be used. I remember looking for empty seats in better sections and moving to them.

The complainers here wouldn't have bought the seats in any case, so I can't see purpose in their complaints, only what I believe is called whinging in British dialect.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 06:41 PM

According to the Telegraph today some of the empty seats are for the Olympic Family but the far bigger reason 'they say' is seats that were allocated to agencies who have been selling the tickets abroad. Who knows! It certainly sucks though that people like Chris Hoy couldn't even get tickets for all his immediate family whilst so many aren't being used.

In other areas there have been problems selling them. Especially with the football. The first game in Glasgow had an approximate attendance of 10,000 to 15,000 when they had supposedly sold about 10,000 and given about another 30,000 away! They might have tried paying people to go :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 09:33 PM

Earlier (19 July) I posted some of the prices agencies are charging for plum events.
Another practice (I don't know if it was followed here) is to require agencies to take a certain number of 'bad' tickets in order to get the good stuff. The poor ones are filed in that old circular receptacle.

I agree with some of the complainants, however. It seems to me that the Olympics should have a higher moral, less commercial, standard.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Alan Conn
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 08:42 AM

Sad news about Paralympian games today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19355630

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Allan Conn
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 12:14 PM

Guest Alan Conn isnae me

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 12:54 PM

Overall, well done!

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 01:36 PM

Indeed. Thank you, Q. Odd that this thread retains its original title. There were, to be sure, dodgy moments in the run-up, like the idiocy about approval of branded goods, and worries about the traffic. But they were all sorted; and a pretty successful occasion ensued, from the opening ceremony with the active participation of pyjamaed hospitalised chilren right up to that of HMQ Her Own Very Self, to all the enjoyable events, to the highly-to-be-regarded [from our pov] medals table.

So WHAT 'shame' would that be then?

Away with all you detractors, self-righteous 'going-abroad-till-it's-safely-over'-niks [the identity of some of whom surprised me considerably.

The Games turned out to be a Good Thing.

So Sucks-Boo!

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Musket
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 01:41 PM

I just started scanning the first few posts to see where this was going.

It appears The Daily M*il spewed some crap, Bridge said the article was plausible and the debate went from there.

I'll give it a miss if that's OK. Had friends round for dinner the other night and one had been a volunteer. Seemed she enjoyed every minute and is angry about the doom mongers.

On balance, I'd rather be happy than moaning.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Aug 12 - 01:52 PM

Yup, me too.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 24 Aug 12 - 06:11 AM

The Games was an exemplar to the world.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 06:54 AM

I thought the opening of the Paralympics was brilliant.
Not shameful at all.
Anyone disagree?

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: GUEST,Eddie1 (Still sans cookie)
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 07:09 AM

Couldn't agree more. Tears, laughter but most of all, an awareness of the sheer guts and determination so many of the participants displayed. I even laughed at the comment about the, I think, Jordanian coach having apparently said, "It's not the taking part that's important, it's the winning!"

Good luck to all of them.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 04:22 PM

The title of this thread is ridiculous in light of the fact that they seem to have had the fewest problems of any Olympics in memory.

In another thread I posted "well Done" and I'll repeat it here. Reports from the Paralympics indicate success here as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:21 AM

Latest on the news this morning - the cashpoint machines at the main paralympic venue are only suitable for those without sight problems.

Subject: RE: BS: Olympics - London's Shame
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:22 AM

200 - first time I've ever got in on the number!