non-music: London to host Olympic Games!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: lady penelope
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 06:01 PM

I find it almost amusing. The original Olympics (before the Roman yuppies got their mits on it) was a religious festival. It was not uncommon for participents to die from their excersions on the field and these deaths were looked on as fitting sacrifices for the gods. The competing field was limited and little was spent on anything but the opening and closing feasts.

Perhaps if we want to re-capture the 'true' spirit of the Olympics people would be a little less inclined to be so 'gung ho' about them.......

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 05:02 AM

Watch 'Chariots of Fire' and see how they used to do it... Limpit was stunned that they had to take their own trowels onto the track and dig starting pits.

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 05:59 PM

Generally, I rather dislike sport (really, really hate football - but that's another story).

The only even mildly diverting athletic events are those which involve chucking things (javelins, hammers etc.) but the Olympics, Commonwealth Games etc. seem to be completely dominated by the mind numbingly boring running (where's the fun in that?). Why do they seem to spend hours and hours and hours hopping about on the starting line? Why can't they f***ing well get on with it?

Oh yes, I might occasionally watch the ladies' swimming events - but that's got very little to do with sport, as such ... whoops, what a give-away!!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: eddie1
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 05:42 PM

Got this message yesterday from Reading Volunteer Agency.
Local voluntary action saves VCS funds from Olympic raid
Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, announced in the Commons today, 15th March, that although the costs of the Olympics has increased significantly, no funds for local groups will be taken from BIG (the Big Lottery Fund). The funds transferred to the Olympics Fund will come from that share of BIG's budget which was intended for statutory projects. Before the crisis began the expectation had been that about £1.1bn would be awarded in grants to the local VCS in the period 2009 to 2012. As a result of the nationwide campaign that figure holds good.

NAVCA would like to express its thanks to all NAVCA members and their member organisations that mobilised massive support for this campaign. Not only was their a massive postbag on this issue but rather than multiple copies of template letters this contained thousands of individual letters explaining what it would mean for local groups throughout the country. This individual and locally focused approach appears to have enhanced the campaign significantly. NAVCA has worked very closely with NCVO on this issue and the joint supportive campaign has helped preserve this important source of funding. Of course we must all remain vigilant in case the threat recurs, especially if costs rise again. So NAVCA will keep the local voluntary sector fully informed and make sure that if the threat reappears or the commitment is not being honoured that further pressure is brought to bear.
For more information see: http://www.navca.org.uk/news/olympics

While this is good news for voluntary organisations applying for lottery funding, it does mean that local authorities applying for grants for whatever good cause are going to find it tougher.

Eddie

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: eddie1
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 05:11 AM

I've just read all through this thread and have never read so much rubbish written by people who are in no way affected by this.

"As someone said earlier if you don't like the environment and circumstances you live in, move away. You will possibly make a profit and move to an area where you have no concerns and suits all your needs more efficiently."
GUEST - 07 Jul 05 - 08:36 AM

What this "Guest" totally fails to appreciate is that most people living in East London who are against the Olympics DO like the area in which they live. They just don't want it destroyed for something in which they have no interest and on which they were given no opportunity to comment.

While Londoners will suffer an increase in Council Tax (and in this they have my sympathy) every community in the UK will be affected by the attempts to have the Lottery make up the shortfall. This is already having an effect on Arts Council funding and will affect every community group or charity in the UK being denied funding for worthwhile projects.


"If they are going to use lottery money to pay for this circus in London they ought to have a special lottery, instead of raiding the existing one and taking money away from good causes all over the country."
McGrath of Harlow - 16 Mar 07 - 04:43 PM .

Great idea McGrath. I read somewhere (I don't think it was in Mudcat) the suggestion that the Lottery introduce a new Olympics scratchcard, The profits from this, and only this, would then go towards the daily increasing cost of this extravaganza. This would enable those who want to support the Olympics to do so.
Sadly, it won't happen as I firmly believe it would let this government see how many/few were really welcoming the event.

On a lighter note. Apropos the idea of banjo throwing etc as an Olympic sport, Livingston Taylor (brother of the better known James) has a wonderful track entitled "Olympic Guitar". I tried to find it using Alta Vista but the only link is a no-no. I'll happily forward an MP3 to anyone interested.

Eddie

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 05:31 PM

If they were spending all this on something I might want to watch I'd still be agin it. I don't think my scepticism about it is based on the fact that I find the sports events involved pretty boring.

I mean, they are talking about maybe getting the World Cup here in a few more years, and that would be great - but it wouldn't be worth bankrupting ourselves and taking money away from local projects all over the country the way these Olympics are doing.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 05:12 PM

Thanks, we'd sort of figured out that it wasn't going to benefit us much in the short term...

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: dianavan
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 01:20 PM

Vancouver is in the middle of preparing for the 2010 winter Olympics and they are waaaaaaaaay over budget. The hiway to Whistler is destroying wilderness area and causing slides. Unemployment rates are way down and they're importing Mexican Labour. There isn't enough housing for workers who will service the event. The poor and homeless are demonstrating in the streets and my home was just assessed at $100,000.00 dollars more than it was worth last year. Health and education have been put on hold.

Some of this is good in the short term but I shudder to think of the aftermath. Just thought I'd let you know what you're in for.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 02:03 AM

Why is there this trend for bankrupting cities by insisting on new stadia and housing for Olympic atheletes and their assorted hangers on?

Here's a bit from the BBC site about White City 1948: "Wembley Stadium had survived the Blitz and after it had been fitted with a temporary running track it was used as the Games' main stadia.

London was still rebuilding so athletes were housed in schools, government buildings and military barracks instead of the usual purpose built Olympic village."

We already have very good sports facilities in the Borough of Newham. There are 3 public swimming pools, running tracks, watersports in the Royal Docks, a football stadium and rugby pitch. There are many hotels appearing in the area, and a huge indoor arena just a short hop across the river.

We don't have enough doctors, dentists, cheap housing, secondary school places, pest control officers or parking facilities.

The area for 'regeneration' was already inhabited by many businesses who were compulsorily purchased and moved out of the immediate area, in many cases to premises that were too small, inadequate or just plain uninhabitable. In several cases the purchase price did not cover the expenses incurred.

I welcome the new decision to restore the waterways for use as heavy freight transport, but I can't see that reducing the traffic on the roads that we have now by much.

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 05:46 PM

And with a million pounds from the lottery to spend on sport your town could have that as well.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:51 PM

It is interesting that so many people have a negative attitude over this topic. A friend of mine was saying that back in the 30s and 40s, Woody Guthrie's songs always took positve view of big ventures - Grand Coulee Dam, for example. But, nowadays, any such songs would always look for negative view; for example songs about the demise of have the coal and fishing industry. I believe in the idea of the Olympics, and I think that a whole generation of British children COULD/should benefit from the "Olympic effect", but, in reality, I am sceptical. The town I live in has no running track, but an equilavent sized town in Spain, Germany, Sweden etc would have two or three such tracks.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:43 PM

If they are going to use lottery money to pay for this circus in London they ought to have a special lottery, instead of raiding the existing one and taking money away from good causes all over the country.

The amount they are planning to take from the lottery amounts to one million pounds for every parliamentary constituency.   I can think of a hell of a lot of ways one million pounds could be better used in Harlow.

The last time there was an Olympics game in London was in 1948. The cost was £750,000 - which if you allow for inflation comes in at something around £24 million pounds. " 1948 Olympics: 'We had much more fun and a greater sense of achievement than modern athletes do'"

Mixing up the cost of the Olympic Games with projects for refurbishing a rundown part of London just seems silly to me. Making rundown places better to live in makes a lot of sense and it doesn't come cheap, and it's badly needed, and London isn't the only place that needs it. But I predict that a lot of the improvements tied up with the games won't actually end up as improvements at all, and looking at what has happened in other cities with prestige Olympic project demonstrates that to be the normal outcome.

I doubt very much if the travellers being evicted from the homes they have lived in for 30 years or more to make way for "the Olympic Village" will have their lives improved by the games. (They don't think so anyway, which is why they are trying to fight the eviction in the courts.)

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: lady penelope
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:27 PM

I like Ebbie's idea too....

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: lady penelope
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:22 PM

I re-itterate my earlier point. No Londoner - infact no member of the British public was asked if they wanted to host the games, regardless of where in country they were based. So it's rather insulting to act like you're doing people a big favour by landing the Olympics when infact you couldn't give a toss what they think about it.

The government went so far as to run a website for people to leave comments about how wonderful they thought the olympics are, they even extended this to the NHS trust where I work. There was absolutely no place to voice concerns or any negative opinions. There's a word for this - propaganda.

And yes, the British tax payer WILL be footing the majority of the bill for this affair (already treble the cost it was supposed to be at the launch) where do you think the government gets the money they play with? The fact that they've seen fit to slap a specific charge on the people who live in London is just icing on the cake. And by the way it's a 3% rise in council tax, not £20.

And the IOC? Yes technically they are a charitable organisation. But have you seen how much money it costs just to place a bid for the Olympics? And all the designs for Olympic sites have minimum requirements set by the IOC. Humungous amounts of money are spent by host nations at the whim of the IOC and their collection of 'hoops' that must be jumped through.

There have also been more than a couple of ducumentaries that have pointed out that whilst the IOC AS A BODY do not receive large amounts of money, there appears to be nothing to stop individual members from receiving 'gifts' when the IOC is about to decide which firms should be awarded contracts for work on the games in any host nation.

And no, I'm not a huge sport fan. And I don't really understand the fuss about the Olympics. And I certainly don't understand why my neighbourhood has to be totally sodded about with over the course of a decade (and more) for a meer 4 WEEK EVENT!!!! It beggars belief.

You don't even have to look at another country. Can anyone tell me what lasting benefits Londoners are enjoying from the Olympics facillities at White City in west London?

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: cptsnapper
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 05:21 AM

With regard to the current worries about the cost of the Olympics I think that people should sponsor Ken Livingstone to run a marathon in order to raise funds.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Diva
Date: 15 Jul 05 - 10:35 AM

Im glad I'm in the Scottish Borders.......we won't be bothered by all the hype up here...so if anyone is looking for an Olympic Free Zone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 05 - 10:53 AM

I like ebbie's idea. And the athletes can't bitch about the olympics being held in countries with differing climates to their own, as they would know where it will always be and could train in similar climates. Could break records.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 08 Jul 05 - 09:33 AM

Yes Liz, and 2023, 2033..................

Don T.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Jul 05 - 02:35 AM

Two key words there .... 'but after'.. Like I said somewhere above. Let's wait and see what cheap housing is available, what businesses are still around, what transport systems are still working and what we're still paying for in 2013.

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Jul 05 - 02:23 AM

In an ideal world, in my opinion, the Olympics would be given a permanent home in Olympia, Greece, and be supported and maintained by routine contributions from each participating nation.

That would also free cities, states, and nations to do their own urban renewal.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: dianavan
Date: 08 Jul 05 - 01:03 AM

Guest and Noreen - You are so wrong. Why should anyone move because of the Olympics? In fact, the biggest problem with these huge spectacles is that the process of gentification displaces many of the poor and disabled. In fact, many of them are forced out onto the streets.

I'm sure that is not the case for Cat or Liz but when you sell your home (even when the market is high) you still have to find another place to live. Leaving friends, family and community connections is not an easy thing to do. There is also work to consider. How dare you presume to know what another "should do" when you know nothing about their personal circumstances.

BTW - You have every right to be concerned. There are very few who will benefit from the Olympics in the long run. I love sport but the Olympics is just another over-priced spectacle that most of the locals cannot afford. The Olympics will suck even more revenue away from hospitals and schools. Sure, you will get new transportation systems but after today, how will you convince the public that they are safe from terrorist attacks?

Why would you award the Olympics to a nation at war? Bad choice if you ask me.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 08:36 AM

Do you think everywhere else stands still while London marches forward with change, the answer is no it does not. Many towns cities and villages have to put up with challenges to move forward in life, London is no different in this respect.

As someone said earlier if you don't like the environment and circumstances you live in, move away. You will possibly make a profit and move to an area where you have no concerns and suits all your needs more efficiently.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 07:56 AM

I don't actually like living in London, I'm a country girl through and through, but I do like my house. I have become accustomed to the area I live in, and although it has its faults, it's a lot better than some areas. It is relatively clean, it's got some good infrastructure (corner shops, pubs, churches and temples etc.), but it's very delicate. It's like a jenga tower... you remove one vital piece (a small business, a small supermarket, a doctors office) and the whole structure collapses.

Manitas has always lived here. This is his home, he was born in Stratford, he's more East End than anything you see on Eastenders. I moved up here when we married because he already had a good job here. We cannot now move out of commuter range because he would not get such a good job or an equivalent pay anywhere else.

I have yet to meet a London citizen who isn't unhappy or cynical about what the Olympic Games coming to East London is going to mean. We've already had to put up with years of Channel Tunnel link construction, M11 link construction and the loss of many local services.

I suspect very strongly that if there were the prospect of another 7 years construction, rising prices and traffic congestion coming to YOUR town or city or village, Guest and Noreen, you too would be whining and bitching with every other resident.

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 07:12 AM

I do like where I live...I don't want to move and I shouldn't be made to feel like I want to move either.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 07:07 AM

"Lets just hope that in 2012 they will be more equipped to cope"

From the reports they are coping very well under the circumstances and I am glad you are OK, but if you dont like the area move its very simple

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 06:59 AM

Noreen, if you want to pay for it all you move down here and do it. Yes the regeration will be a good thing..IF it happens. But why should we have to have the olympics here just to get that, The cost of living down here is high enough as it is adn you may well say everything is relative but it isn't. Why should I move out of the area. If we sell the house we wouldn't be able to afford to by another property in London anyway and first time buyers don't stand a chance. As it stands you can't get a doctor or a dentist in this area unless you are prepared to go private..do you think that will improve?? No I don't think so.

At the moment this city has other things to worry about ie: the bombs with have just gone off and the closure of the transport system because of it. Lets just hope that in 2012 they will be more equipped to cope.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: ard mhacha
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 05:33 AM

It`s not fair the US have all the best drugs,ask Lance Armstrong.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: mooman
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 05:12 AM

Quite, GUEST!

Peace

mooman

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 05:08 AM

I am amazed, why cant people be satisfied for once and applaud achievement in this country instead of whining any chance they get.

We have won the bid, live with it or move, its an easy choice

Positive thoughts only please

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 05:03 AM

I hate to be negative about anything as important as the Olympics, but there is one resoundingly negative point for consideration by a forum which is all about folk music.

The new minister, specially created to oversee the preparations, by our beloved leader is one Tessa Jowells, co-author of the new licensing regime.

English culture, heritage, and folk music tradition as part of the 2012 Olympiad?......FORGET IT!

If this clown does for the Olympics what she has done for live music, we might expect to host our next games somewhere about the year 3000.

Don T.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Noreen
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 04:53 AM

And LtS says

you give me the extra money it's going to cost us on our rates, you come and live here through the next 7 years of construction and try to get onto a doctors' list... try find yourself a dentist... try and get 2 miles by bus in less than an hour.....

Tell you what, why not sell up and take advantage of the stupidly high prices that houses will sell for in your area, and go and live somewhere else? No-one is forcing you to live there- do something about it and stop bloody moaning!!!!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Noreen
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 04:47 AM

CatsPhiddle says:

Property prices will increase again...by 2012 we should have had all the work done on the house so we will rent it out and go on holiday!! Stratford is only down the road from us....can walk it in 20 minutes!
and then:
I for one am not going to enjoy the distruption in this area over the next 7 years. The council tax is already incrediabley high and I won't be happy with increases in the tax to pay for the Olympics just because I live in the area.

Yes well...!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 04:41 AM

Morris sides at the opening ceremony? You must be joking. They'd as soon have a display of trainspotters or paedophiles.

British culture definitely doesn't include anything as uncool as folk music, song or dance. The opening ceremony will be MC'd by Sir Rory Gallagher or some such. There will be a choreographed dance to a Lloyd Webber pop theme by people dressed in traditional English garb, like bowler hats and suits, football, rugby* and cricket kit, 60s miniskirts with Union Jacks, pearly kings and queens, beefeaters, Elizabethans, a few token Scots in kilts and Welsh in tall hats, and everything that makes Britain Great.

* perhaps they'll drop that after the Lions tour.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 04:39 AM

OK Guest - you give me the extra money it's going to cost us on our rates, you come and live here through the next 7 years of construction and try to get onto a doctors' list... try find yourself a dentist... try and get 2 miles by bus in less than an hour.....

OK, it's a great acheivement... So was the invention of gunpowder and splitting the atom... look what they've done for us.

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 03:58 AM

YAWN !

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 03:57 AM

Why are you trying your hardest to be negative about a great achievement. Great Britain has won the bid for the Olympics and it has been a long hard path but successful.

Don't you think its time you were positive about this achievement, you are moaning about something that has not happened as yet, give it a chance, even if you don't like sport.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 03:45 AM

This is going to be one expensive nightmare for any London residents. Council taxes slated to rise by 20 Pounds, and every system which is already decayed and overloaded will have to be dealt with-Transport, Water...while the number of extra jobs will only be around 12,000.

The estimate at a couple of billion quid will of course jump to treble that, sorry, quadruple that amount by the time it's all finished.

Indeed Paris should be chuckling...

And all this for what? Sports stadiums?? Forget the hospitals, the schools, trying to rebuild a viable East End for the citizens of the city.

It's another pissing contest, and we lost.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 03:36 AM

Anyone else remember the Millenium Dome? Urban regeneration and a fantastic venue for the people of Greenwich and south London? Jobs for everyone??

Greenwich now has a very nice carpark, some extremely expensive housing that no-one local can afford, the community infrastructure (corner shops, pubs and the like) is collapsing and the Dome was laying people off 6 months after it opened. The Dome gets used once a year and for the rest of the time sits there like an overturned satellite dish, eating money.

And folk outside London wonder why the 'locals' are not all jumping with joy....

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: dianavan
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 02:25 AM

We're getting the Winter Olympics in 2010 (we actually got to vote whether we wanted it or not) so the buzz has already begun. Lots of development at the community level - street beautification, traffic calming devices in neighborhorhoods, traffic routes being established, greening the boulevards, etc. The rapid transit route is hotly disputed as well as the method of tunneling and they want to empty the trans Canada in a neighborhood that doesn't want anymore traffic and the Sea to Sky hiway project has created a lot of controversy.

Will it add the quality of life in Vancouver? I doubt it.

The market value of my house has doubled and taxes have climbed.

I don't want to be here during the Olympics. Does anyone want to rent a two bedroom house for 6-8 weeks? I think I'll go to Mazatlan.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Kaleea
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 02:24 AM

Congrats to London. I certainly hope that this brings about an economic boon for our friends across the pond.
   From the above, I take it that there are folks who will be losing their homes to "urban renewal." I pray that these good folks will be able to find homes to their liking elsewhere.
   Love the Banjo throwing idea! Perhaps we 'Catters in the States could invite you 'Catters from across the pond to a Musical activity of olympic proportions!

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: The Shambles
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 02:05 AM

Courts find Licensing Policy ILLEGAL

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: The Shambles
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 02:02 AM

Important not to forget that many events will be staged outside London. The football for example and of most concern to me - the sailing events.

These will be taking place locally - in Portland Harbour and the Local Authority responsible for the area is Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

I can't help thinking that this event and its build-up - presents those of us who care about our traditional folk acts to show the world how little our Government values this.

Events locally over the last 5 years have demonstrated how little this particular local authority thinks of the folk arts and how poorly they have treated them - under current legislation.

We are presented with the opportunity to show the watching world how the new Licensing Act 2003 will require this local authority to issue Premises Licenses to (public) land that it is responsible for - to enable any form of outside entertainment to take place.

Also to show the Act's requirement for Local Authorities to prevent any non-amplified music being played for Morris dancing - when no dancing is taking place. For the same tunes - without the dancing - will be considered as Regulated Entertainment and illegal without a Premises Licence and its entertainment permission.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 08:05 PM

Oh, and don't think any of the posh new areas being designed will stay that way... I just happened to be in Stratford Railway station the day that the committee came to visit. There were lots of staff, lovely tubs of flowers, wide open spaces and happy people smiling - they were not the people who were being hidden around a corner, out of sight, whilst queueing for their rail tickets because all three machines were out of order AGAIN..... And the staff had been given time and a half money to be there for the 3 hours that the committee were scheduled to be there.

Within 30 mins of the committee leaving (on the cleanest, neatest train never seen on the Central Line before), the flower tubs were spirited back to the council greenhouses and the extra staff vanished into the ether...... Never have seen that train since.....

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:58 PM

I hear that the 300 of so folks who will have their homes taken for construction are not quite so pleased with the announcement.

In any case, I hope it goes well and that the sanest decisions possible are made.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:57 PM

Fine, wonderful.. great... Let's just wait until 2013 and see how many jobs are still there, how much we're still paying for, how much housing goes for and how many facilities are still in use/just being finished......

There are already 3 swimming pools in the borough. Admitedly, none of them are olympic sized, but they are underfunded and badly staffed by sessional workers paid the minimum wage. We have a public transport system that makes it quicker to travel 8 miles into central London than 1 1/2 miles to Stratford from our house.... It's bad enough now, finding a parking space here when West Ham Football club play at home...... what the hell is it going to be like when half the world are trying to find a space? It's all very well for the rest of the country to celebrate and get all excited, they're not the ones losing their businesses or their communities. We've already lost great swathes of land to the Channel Tunnel link (one homeowner went out one morning to find a 15ft hole where his garden used to be....), we can't afford to lose much more.

And given the diversity of the area, it's highly unlikely anything remotely to do with Morris dancing will be involved.

You want the Olympics in your back yard and on your council tax bill? Take 'em... you're f&^$ing welcome to 'em!

LTS

LTS

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 03:26 PM

Why can't they move the dome and use it as a venue for something? Pole vault? At least it would have a use.

Like lady penelope, our local london pools are closing due to lack of resource. I would personally have preferred the money spent to prop up our diminishing sports facilities for the future.

Whatever they build in stratford now will not benefit the majority of londoners.

But it will be nice to be in the same time zone as the events, I suspose, begrudgingly.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Emma B
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 03:16 PM

According to the radio the council tax in London will be an extra £20 per annum for 10 years.....much of the money raised from the Lottery etc will also be poured into these facilities at the expense of the regions.
But, worse of all, will be the appalling 24/7 hyped coverage for the next 7 years......

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 03:14 PM

I bet Chirac's going to feel a bit of a prat when he turns up at the Gleneagles G8 summit. Mind you he'd already made it very clear that he wasn't going support any of the UK's policies.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 03:14 PM

Strange thing is how many of our current stars will still be around. 7 years is along time in sport. Actually it's a long time anyway.

Subject: RE: non-music: London to host Olympic Games!
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 03:11 PM

Let's bring a folkie angle to it.

Think of the busking opportunities... The Morris teams practicing furiously for the opening ceremony... The pubs sprucing up for the tourists and wanting to put on some local colour (gig opportunities). :-)