The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

How do you feel about the Olympics? Love it, hate it, not bovvered?

I`ll state my case - for 3 years now arts funding has been drastically cut to fund the Olympics. This will continue for at least 2 more years. Loads of arts, health and social projects with the community have been cancelled because the lottery and arts funding is now being poured into a London-based jolly.
London is already impossibly crowded in summer. Transport is totally overcrowded all the time. I don`t see how any benefit can outweigh the disadvantages.
Also I don`t personally give a flying fork who can jump highest and I don`t see how number of medals says anything about a nation.
Can anyone change my mind?

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

I love athletics and love watching the Olympics ...

I do realise the vast amount of funding that is needed but I am also aware that it is an honour for our country to be chosen to host the 2012 Olympics. The event will have a positive impact on London and greatly boost their economy by means of tourism.

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

London is already swamped by tourists in summer, and London is suffering from finance being diveted yo prestige events. I`m not anti-sport, but I`d rather someone else had hosted it. And I do think London is the wrong place. Why not Bath, Bristol or Stafford?

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

Bath would too small and I'm sure Bristol would have loved the opportunity..

Do you live far from London, Claire?

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

no-way. we are losing a large lump of our park (in basildon) because of the damm Olympics and the park that we walk our dogs. and the kids play in. that they want to flatten so they can build houses for the Olympians.and after they will sell the houses n flats.
so we are all getting together to see if we can use it as a village green status.
so no i do not want the olympics here. oh and we live about 25 miles away from london.

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

Don't really think you stand a chance we had large playing fields that were used for recreation and were left as such in someones will over 100 years ago for the recreational use for people of the borough what have they done they have built a very large Academy on it and the other School which is about 500 yards away they are knocking down to build houses on if that isn't a put up job nothing is ... Don't like Sport so I think it's all a huge waste of our money (IMO)

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

I can't see how it will make much difference to us in Scotland, but it is going to cost a lot. Pity the credit crunch came along at the same time.

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

Obviously it's not affecting us here in the States. I'm generally not a sports fan at all, but look forward to seeing some of the events: track and field, diving ......

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

I completely boycotted the Bejing Olympics, didn't watch a single event, except for the odd glimpse when I had to go into the TV room to ask OH something !! My boycott was because of their use of dogs (Particularly Newfoundlnds) for the fur trade.

In general I would like to support our atheletes but I wonder how many people really know what certain other countries do to the atheletes to make sure they win, it has all got beyond sport now, it's a political thing and all about money and medal count.

As far as London is concerned, well I've vowed never to go there again in my lifetime!! I agree that it will be good for business and tourism, and some firms I'm involved with are getting some good orders from it ('tho strangely they are not allowed to use the fact in any of their publicity)

But I feel sorry for people like Claire who have seen a big reduction in funding for other maybe more worthwhile organisations. BTW The initial cost estimates were once again (like the Channel Tunnel) ribiculously low, everyone involved in preparing them knew that, but since it has to happen the government is finding the money by cutting back on other things.

Claire, I'm sorry to have to tell you that what you've seen so far is nothing, next year, 2010, the government (Whichever one it is) will be making huge cuts to public services and the year after, 2011, they will be increasing taxes, it gives me no pleasure to say that but make a note in your diary for Sept. 2010 and Sept. 2011 and come on here to tell me I'm wrong!!!

Oh and interest rates will be going up as well!!

Re: The London Olympics - looking forward to it?

I know it`ll get worse - that`s why I`m glad I`m semi-retired. I`m in Southend and we nearly lost a local Country Park to the cycle races (cross country). It would have been `developed` and then closed to the public. Luckily, they moved it further away.