Comments on: London’s Olympic fog

By: MrBeck

MrBeck — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:02:34 +0000

Why would any competently run city want to host a pork-barrel riddled event like the Olympics? The net value to the location is zero at best and the bad publicity generated already will need millions to eradicate from the public mind. Add the IOC scandals and the archaic licensing policies (pay by cash or Visa only, Sir; no Sir we are not allowed to sell chips only, you must buy fish as well (unbelievable but true)), the scar that is the Olympics will mar the face of London for years.

By: Bob9999

Bob9999 — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:07:50 +0000

Has any Olympic host ever made a profit from the games? Isn’t the payoff in terms of prestige rather than money? Also, isn’t just about every Olympics preceeded by media reports shortly before the games begin that the host is concerned about potential disaster? Yet, when the day comes, the games tend come off more or less as planned. Whatever shortcomings there are tend to be experienced by those attending the games in person while being invisible to those watching on television. In terms of prestige (the coin in which the Olympic host is compensated), it’s the perception of the mass audience participating by television that matters to the reputation of the Olympic host.

By: neluroman

neluroman — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:30:56 +0000

The Olympics Games are now part of our humanity. If were to be another world in the Universe, one of the first five things supposed to represent us would be these Games. Our world, for sure, would be much more poor without these Games. From my part, I wish great success to all people involved in these Olympics, and be the best to win.

By: Neurochuck

Neurochuck — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:19:11 +0000

The English use of the word “cockup” has a familiarity and gentle tolerance, if the consequences are not too severe. The situations are often Pythonicly hilarious.
The G4S cockup stands out at the moment, but I found the report that the CEO facing a parliamentary inquiry also said that he thought up to 10% of the people they have selected, vetted and trained would not actually turn up for work to be extra amusing.
I can just see Basil doing that gig.

By: CDN_Rebel

CDN_Rebel — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:51:27 +0000

Being from Vancouver, I can tell you that the Olympics caused only very minor disruptions to city life. Yet all I can recall hearing from the Brits during those games were what a disaster we were blahblahblah. Well, after the amazing games that were Beijing and Vancouver, old London is going to show the world how the ‘Old World’ has fallen behind the times, devoured from within by nepotism, incompetence and corruption (granted Beijing suffers all these as well). I’d say good luck to Londoners but they don’t want it anyways, nor can they have it. Hope it rains every day except for the 100m finals – another Jamaican sweep.