London gets the Olympics!

[Ashles]

Congratulations to everyone who lobbied for it.

I just hope we can do the event justice.

I hadn't been particularly following the progress, but they came through with a very strong push at the end. And Chirac's comments must have helped. :D

Well done.

[HarryKeogh]

As a resident of New York City I just have to say

WHEW!!!

oh, and congrats London.

[Zep]

Oh yeah! Well done, London!

As Cleopatra and I will tell you, you will have to start gearing up for it NOW! Not next week, not next month, not next year, NOW!








Well? Have you started yet?

No??

WELL, GET OFF YOUR ARSE AND GET BUSY!!!

[Ashles]

Originally posted by Zep
Oh yeah! Well done, London!

As Cleopatra and I will tell you, you will have to start gearing up for it NOW! Not next week, not next month, not next year, NOW!








Well? Have you started yet?

No??

WELL, GET OFF YOUR ARSE AND GET BUSY!!!
Tomorrow first thing I promise.

Well after I get the quote for the bathroom.

And we need some milk...

But lunchtime...

Well right after lunch at the absolute latest.

Although next Tuesday might be better...

[Darat]

BOO!

[Darat]

Well at least that will provide jobs for all the illegal immigrants and goodness help Poland if they need any of their builders for the next seven years.

And I do hope they've checked that the opening will be on a convenient day for the Queen.

Oh and how military bands do you think we'll have in the opening ceremony?

Australia's opening ceremony - a fantastic vibrant celebration
Greece's opening ceremony - a poignant and spectacular celebration linking the principles of the historic games to the passion of the modern day games.
UK opening ceremony - marching military bands and a packet of sparklers....

:(

[Rob Lister]

Originally posted by HarryKeogh
As a resident of New York City I just have to say

WHEW!!!

oh, and congrats London.

Has any city/country ever actually profited from hosting the Olympics? I know it brings in a vast influx of tourists but the costs must be enormous. Especially since the event is so short-lived.

[HarryKeogh]

Originally posted by Rob Lister
Has any city/country ever actually profited from hosting the Olympics? I know it brings in a vast influx of tourists but the costs must be enormous. Especially since the event is so short-lived.

For all the attention a city gets from hosting an Olympiad, the reality is that the glory is fleeting. The Games last for two weeks. The bills can last for two decades -- or longer.

More often than not, the lingering effects of even a "successful" Olympiad are busted budgets and heightened tax burdens.

The reason is simple. Cities that win the competition to host are generally the ones that come up with the most ambitious (read: expensive) plans to build athletic facilities.


CNN/Money article (http://money.cnn.com/2005/07/05/news/international/olympics/index.htm)

[Giz]

Yesterday I thought it all looked so good (bad).

We'd even got Prince Charles and David Beckham to make speaches. I thought that the international community would never take us seriously once Posh & Becks had had their say.

(Devid Beckham, called upon to talk for his country. And we still won. JREF $1M prize worthy?)

[Kiless]

Oh, well done! :) Just heard on the news then, so excellent! :)

In honour, I'd like to quote Billy Connolly on the matter:

"This country is in a terrible state, according to some people, and I know why. Now you've blamed it on lot of things, on unemployment and the value of the pound and all sorts of other magic things. It's because the national anthem is boring!

No, no, don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing with the lyrics. Well, I am. But not them all. I mean, I think the Queen should be saved, I think it's a great idea. And if anybody is gonna save her, God is the very chap. Who am I to rock the boat? Not I, nice person, showbusiness personality!

... No. You see, if you have been looking at the Olympic Games, we come in with the flag (hideously slowly): "Daaahhh-daaahhh-daaaahhh-daaaahhh-dah-daahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......"
We are being lapped! The games haven't even started yet!

(continues) "Daaahhh-daaahhh-daaaahhh-daaaahhh-dah-daahhhhhhhhh." The emerging nations are coming! (rapidly) Ra-ta-ta-da-ta-ta!! "We come from Jeblovia! And we don't give a *&@#! We've got a national debt of 50 squillion pounds! And we don't give a monkey's!!"

"Gooooooooooooddddddd saaaaaaaave..." All the other nations don't want us to win, cause when we win it take half an hour to get the flag up the bloody pole. "Ooooooooouuurrrrrr graaaaciousssss..." (snore)

So I think it's time for a change. And I think a refreshing change would be to use the theme from The Archers." :)

[Ed]

Congrats, Brits.

Whe thought of the Olympis in NYC gave me the willies.

And Chirac loosing. Sweet.

[Flo]

Originally posted by Giz
Yesterday I thought it all looked so good (bad).

We'd even got Prince Charles and David Beckham to make speaches. I thought that the international community would never take us seriously once Posh & Becks had had their say.

(Devid Beckham, called upon to talk for his country. And we still won. JREF $1M prize worthy?)


I'm pretty sure Beckham was what secured the deal. I mean, any Singaporian man was aware that turning him away through awarding the games to any other country than the UK would result in his wife, sisters, mother, and daughters making his life hell for the next 7 years.

[Underemployed]

Australia's opening ceremony - a fantastic vibrant celebration
Greece's opening ceremony - a poignant and spectacular celebration linking the principles of the historic games to the passion of the modern day games.
UK opening ceremony - marching military bands and a packet of sparklers....

And who produced that spectacular Greek opening ceremony?

Why, a British company of course! (http://www.jackmorton.com/europe/press/04_08_13.asp)

I think it will all be carried off swimmingly. Fortunately I don't plan on being a UK resident by the time they have to raise taxes to pay for it.

[Darat]

The only thing that is making me happy at the moment is that Chirac lost... again.. :)

[Darat]

Originally posted by Underemployed
And who produced that spectacular Greek opening ceremony?

Why, a British company of course! (http://www.jackmorton.com/europe/press/04_08_13.asp)

I think it will all be carried off swimmingly. Fortunately I don't plan on being a UK resident by the time they have to rise taxes to pay for it.

Oh its not that the British can’t be creative its just that when you have a relic like the Queen around and "Sir This and that" and "Lord Highmuck" as the "chairmen" of the various committees that will decide what the opening ceremonies will have we'll probably have a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan (their idea of "popular" music) followed by military bands and a parade of boy scouts and perhaps even one cannon firing.


(And no I'm not being cynical - I'm being optimistic if I was being cynical I wouldn’t say we'd be having a cannon!)

[Ed]

Originally posted by Darat
followed by military bands and a parade of boy scouts and perhaps even one cannon firing.


(

Just one?:(

[Zep]

You can use the London Eye, and that big tide-control thingy down the Thames, to do some sort of "spectacular".

Darat, they should make it a rule - Get Ali G to decide who is on committees! Then you won't get Lord Sir Muckamuck, the Honourable Member for Little Snoring, with his wot-ho sparklers-for-everybody ideas. Someone more like Jamie Oliver...

[sackett]

My first thought was, Poor old Paris. If Atlanta can do an Olympics (adequately if not too well), why not Gay Paree?

Then this thought occurred to me: London and Paris aren't as far apart as they used to be. Why not have the Olymps in more than one place? It's already a huge event; why not split it up, adding more sports and parades and foofarrah, and spread it around? Swimming and rowing one place, track another, all those obscure competitions like shooting and fencing in a third town?

As it is, the French shouldn't be too unhappy. 2012 will be good for tourism all over Western Europe.

[Flo]

Originally posted by sackett
Then this thought occurred to me: London and Paris aren't as far apart as they used to be. Why not have the Olymps in more than one place? It's already a huge event; why not split it up, adding more sports and parades and foofarrah, and spread it around? Swimming and rowing one place, track another, all those obscure competitions like shooting and fencing in a third town?



What ! and ruin centuries of cordial animosity ? Are you out of your mind ?

[sackett]

Originally posted by Flo
What ! and ruin centuries of cordial animosity ? Are you out of your mind ?

You're right, of course. So let's build an Olympic Brasilia, a city devoted to nothing but the Olympiad. Airports, hotels, stadia, racetracks -- all purpose-built just for the event. There are several million hectares of, say, Ontario just waiting.

You say nobody would profit? Oh yes they would! It's called International Contracting, and my palm itches at the thought.

BTW, this morning I heard a quote from a man in the crowd in Paris. He said that he was disappointed, but London's a great city and best of luck to her. Admirable.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Rob Lister
Has any city/country ever actually profited from hosting the Olympics? I know it brings in a vast influx of tourists but the costs must be enormous. Especially since the event is so short-lived.

LA 84 made a boatload of money.

[shemp]

Congrats to the Brits on their impending national bankruptcy!

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Won't somebody please think of the children? :(

[Darat]

Originally posted by shemp
Congrats to the Brits on their impending national bankruptcy!

Thanks but it's got nothing to do with Britain - this is LONDON's Olympics....


(Edited because I'm not from the south.)

[Ed]

Originally posted by sackett

BTW, this morning I heard a quote from a man in the crowd in Paris. He said that he was disappointed, but London's a great city and best of luck to her. Admirable.

And a lie:D That man is beating his wife as I write this.

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
LA 84 made a boatload of money.

Fortunately, they didn't have to build an Olympic Stadium. Most current proposals involve building a new stadium (I know Atlanta did). LA would have lost the same boatload if they had to have built a new stadium.

What is London doing?

NY was going to use the new Mets stadium they are building.

[Tricky]

For you bargain shoppers!

[Matabiri]

Originally posted by Underemployed
Fortunately I don't plan on being a UK resident by the time they have to raise taxes to pay for it.

Bah. By then I might have a job on which I have to pay taxes, to pay for it. Can't stay a student forever.

[richardm]

Originally posted by Darat
Thanks but it's got nothing to do with Britain - this is LONDON's Olympics....


As a lifelong Labour supporter I'm suddenly surprised to find that the SNP have many admirable policies :D

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat

UK opening ceremony - marching military bands and a packet of sparklers....

:(

Look see, you muck-rake moderator type wanky person whose mother has a small willy! We have hardly finished winning the right to host the game and you are already running down the opening ceremony?! :rolleyes:

And whats wrong with marching bands anyway? I happen to like them. I think a lot of people do. Thats why we have them. Because people like them. Did pretty well in Manchester didnt they? Or perhaps you would prefer George Monbiot and that irritating Pakistani bint the beeb wheels out on Sundays to slag of everything British and sing the lyrics of "Fly Lesbian Seagull" to the tune of Nkosi Sekeleli?

[Darat]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
Look see, you muck-rake moderator type wanky person whose mother has a small willy! We have hardly finished winning the right to host the game and you are already running down the opening ceremony?! :rolleyes:

...snip...


Less of the "we" - you mean London.

And I aint even started - I've seven years of bitching and stirring that started just a few hours ago.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat
Less of the "we" - you mean London.

And I aint even started - I've seven years of bitching and stirring that started just a few hours ago.

What are you whinging about?

[Jon_in_london]

Wining and dining OIC official: £500,000
Massive advertising campgains: £5,000,000
Olympic Stadiums and village: £50,000,000
Pissing on Chirac's strawberries: Priceless!

:D :p

[Darat]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
What are you whinging about?

This wasn't Britain’s bid it was the soft southern barstools bid because they wanted everyone else in the country to pay for their new swimming pools.

All the money for LONDON's Olympics should be raised in London. So the rest of the country isn’t, once again subsidising London.

[Ian Osborne]

Originally posted by Darat
All the money for LONDON's Olympics should be raised in London. So the rest of the country isn’t, once again subsidising London.

Hear, hear. After all, the metropolitan press ignored or even rubbished previous Olympic bids from Birmingham and Manchester.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat
This wasn't Britain’s bid it was the soft southern barstools bid because they wanted everyone else in the country to pay for their new swimming pools.

All the money for LONDON's Olympics should be raised in London. So the rest of the country isn’t, once again subsidising London.

Soft southerners eh? Dont you live in the South East?

And while you are at it, why not stick

this (http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/docs/workingpaper_06.pdf) in your pipe and smoke it, you unwashed, scrounging country bumpkin!!!


London contributes between £9–£15 billion more in taxes to central government than it receives in spending.

[Darat]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
Soft southerners eh? Dont you live in the South East?


Look into my eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, look into the eyes! You're under!

I made the most devasting put down in response to your post.

3-2-1 you're back.

Originally posted by Jon_in_london

And while you are at it, why not stick

this (http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/docs/workingpaper_06.pdf) in your pipe and smoke it, you unwashed, scrounging country bumpkin!!!

Oh and lets see the source of that, oh surprise surprise that's good old Ken, so it must be true.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat

Oh and lets see the source of that, oh surprise surprise that's good old Ken, so it must be true.

Alright then:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9BA593E9-1169-4612-88D8-D9269CEA428B/0/BC_RS_londonsplace_0310_ES.pdf


London pays more in taxation than it recieves in public expenditure.................

[Darat]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
Alright then:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9BA593E9-1169-4612-88D8-D9269CEA428B/0/BC_RS_londonsplace_0310_ES.pdf

And another one from a LONDON organisation - next it will be one form the LONDON School of Economics - got any that weren’t generated by a group with a large self interest conflict... ? ;)

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat
And another one from a LONDON organisation - next it will be one form the LONDON School of Economics - got any that weren’t generated by a group with a large self interest conflict... ? ;)

Good to see you have admitted defeat. Now, like the Frogs, beg and scrape in homage to the Royal Republic of London!

[Dragon]

Originally posted by Darat
This wasn't Britain’s bid it was the soft southern barstools bid because they wanted everyone else in the country to pay for their new swimming pools.

All the money for LONDON's Olympics should be raised in London. So the rest of the country isn’t, once again subsidising London. It is Britain's bid. After two failed bids the IOC basically told us that if we wanted the games they would have to be centred on London, not Manchester or Birmingham. In any case, events will be held all over Britain, from Cardiff to Glasgow.

Oh, while I'm at it, any evidence that the rest of the country subsidises London?

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Dragon
that the rest of the country subsidises London?

Witness my all too recent posts to prove the contrary!

[Darat]

Originally posted by Dragon
It is Britain's bid. After two failed bids the IOC basically told us that if we wanted the games they would have to be centred on London, not Manchester or Birmingham. In any case, events will be held all over Britain, from Cardiff to Glasgow.


Absolute rubbish! Perhaps if certain past governments had even noticed Manchester (and I suppose Birmingham) were bidding it may have helped.

This government's support to LONDON's bid has been high profile from day one as has the media support.

Just as a point of interest one of those failed bids (if memory serves me right) lost out to Sydney by one vote, hardly a sign that only a "LONDON" bid would be acceptable. Also if that was the case how come Sydney, Los Angeles, Atlanta and so on were acceptable venues?

Amongst my joking I do have a serious point and that is the fact that there was not the support there should have been for the previous 3 national bids.


Originally posted by Dragon

Oh, while I'm at it, any evidence that the rest of the country subsidises London?

Everyone outside LONDON knows it to be a fact. All the evidence presented by Jon has been from biased sources i.e. LONDON organisations.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Darat


Everyone outside LONDON knows it to be a fact. All the evidence presented by Jon has been from biased sources i.e. LONDON organisations.

I honestly dont know if you are being sarcastic or not. I hope you are not.

So far you have not managed to contradict the content of any of the references I have provided, only insulted the sources, indeed, only the geographical location of them.

What do you want me to do, post something from Lanarkshire?!

[Ian Osborne]

Originally posted by Darat
Everyone outside LONDON knows it to be a fact. All the evidence presented by Jon has been from biased sources i.e. LONDON organisations.

I would be interested to know how Jon's figures are calculated. Specifically, most big companies in Britain are London-registered as that's where our financial heartland is. Does this mean their taxes are deemed to be raised in London too? If, for example, a London-registered petroleum company makes a fortune exploiting North Sea oil, are its taxes included in London's revenue, even though its wealth was generated in Scottish territories?

I've no answer, but I'd be interested to know.

[Darat]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
I honestly dont know if you are being sarcastic or not. I hope you are not.

So far you have not managed to contradict the content of any of the references I have provided, only insulted the sources, indeed, only the geographical location of them.

What do you want me to do, post something from Lanarkshire?!

Are you suggesting I’m being biased? I find that an amazing allegations when it has been you who has done nothing but provide biased reports from LONDON!

Unlike you I will accept any report from anywhere that supports my claims...

[Darat]

Originally posted by Ian Osborne
I would be interested to know how Jon's figures are calculated. Specifically, most big companies in Britain are London-registered as that's where our financial heartland is. Does this mean their taxes are deemed to be raised in London too? If, for example, a London-registered petroleum company makes a fortune exploiting North Sea oil, are its taxes included in London's revenue, even though its wealth was generated in Scottish territories?

I've no answer, but I'd be interested to know.

That is a good question.