It's London in 2012, then. (spam thread)

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:02 am

So, it's decided and I'm pleased.

Because, now I can expect my flat in London-Essex border to be worth a lot more in a few years time.

And with a bit of luck, a better transport system by then...

Siberys · Post by **Siberys** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:10 am

Never seen the olympics. Might watch'em sometime, possibly.

On a side note-
On December 23, 2012, according to the Mayan beliefs, "something" will end. Dunno what, dunno if that is the right date, but I heard this in an old class.

frogus23 · Post by **frogus23** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:58 am

I hope this gives Ken an incentive to get some more busses running, and to provide ventilation in the london underground.

Sporting competition though? Bah.

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:05 am

[QUOTE=frogus23]Sporting competition though? Bah.

[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I know... it's gonna be tough to host the games and watch the US walk out with all the medals, huh? I feel bad for you Brits...

frogus23 · Post by **frogus23** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:09 am

I had my British pride removed as a kid, apparently it is evolutionarily superfluous.

arno_v · Post by **arno_v** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:12 am

I don't mind where they do it, I guess I'll be watching in front of my tv anyway.

Ideal Maxima · Post by **Ideal Maxima** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:22 am

Hmm, I'm slow (just a tad bit) but how was New York and the Olympics related? Weren't they supposed to hold it here?

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:10 am

[QUOTE=Ideal Maxima]

Hmm, I'm slow (just a tad bit) but how was New York and the Olympics related? Weren't they supposed to hold it here?[/QUOTE]
The bidding process was just completed for the 2012 summer olympics. The cities that were bidding were Madrid, Moscow, Paris, New York, and London. London won.

Here is a CNN article, fyi.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:29 am

Here is an idea Minerva

Rent out your flat to Olympic spectators for the two weeks, and fly to somewhere nice with the proceeds, thereby escaping the madness.
Vancouver/Whistler will have the 2010 Olympics, and that is precisely what we are thinking of doing

boo's daddy · Post by **boo's daddy** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:14 am

Top suggestion.

Mind you, by then John Prescott will have built the Thames Gateway, won't he? And the whole lot will probably sink into the North Sea.

I wonder if Chirac swung it. He has been on a personal crusade to slag off the Brits over recent weeks:

One cannot trust people whose cuisine is so bad - after Finland, it is the country with the worst food

Fiona · Post by **Fiona** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:16 am

Another job creation scheme for London. Another mad distortion of the economy. Sad really

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:19 am

[QUOTE=frogus23]I hope this gives Ken an incentive to get some more busses running, and to provide ventilation in the london underground.[/QUOTE]

It's a shame the wellbeing of Londoners (and tourists) didn't give him an incentive to do that anyway though, isn't it?

Now the media are going to go on about it for the next seven years. I don't think I can take it.

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:55 am

[QUOTE=Fiona]Another job creation scheme for London. Another mad distortion of the economy. Sad really[/QUOTE]
Hear! Hear!

Public funds being spent so people can pay to watch overpaid sportsmen.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:32 pm

[QUOTE=Georgi]Now the media are going to go on about it for the next seven years. I don't think I can take it.

[/QUOTE]

It might not be too bad. Over here, there was a media feeding frenzy on the whole thing all the time leading up to the decision, and for a month or so following it. But since then it has basically died down. Presumably, it will pick up again in the final year. *sigh*

Personally, I'd rather that the Olympics were not being held in the city I'm living in. There are many ecologically sensitive areas (especially up in the mountains where the skiing etc. will be held), and no doubt Vancouver's street population will be herded up and placed somewhere for the duration of the games, much as what occurred when we hosted Expo. And of course...there will be the inevitable corruption, hype and profiteering...

Hence, why we plan to escape, if possible.
I suppose there might be an ethical issue in taking advantage by renting our place out, but it is going to happen anyway, regardless of what we do, and we really do not want to put up with the whole thing.

In terms of Britain, I can only hope that there are more benefits than disadvantages, but I'm pretty cynical where the Olympics are concerned.

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:52 pm

I'm hoping the transport will improve for my commuting to University. Fortunately I will avoid the actual event and all the people that will bring in

.

I feel sorry for the Finnish after that Chirac quote. It makes sense that *someone* French would say something bad about Britain, but what about Finland, what have they done to him

.

Of course, now we Brits (especially around London) will hear nothing but Olympics preparations for the next seven years. Oh joy(!)

boo's daddy · Post by **boo's daddy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:34 am

Nah, give it a couple of weeks and we'll be slagging it off as a shambolic waste of time.

Note that those who made all the rash promises re: investment, transport, etc will be safely retired from office by 2012 (or at least one would hope so!)

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:59 am

[QUOTE=boo's daddy]Nah, give it a couple of weeks and we'll be slagging it off as a shambolic waste of time.

Note that those who made all the rash promises re: investment, transport, etc will be safely retired from office by 2012 (or at least one would hope so!)[/QUOTE]

Indeed, some already have been for some time.

What really annoys me, though, is that it will be partly funded by increasing council tax in London, and I really object to having to pay higher taxes for an event I don't even want.

boo's daddy · Post by **boo's daddy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:43 am

Funny how this one dropped off the news!

What really annoys me, though, is that it will be partly funded by increasing council tax in London, and I really object to having to pay higher taxes for an event I don't even want.

IIRC, since Montreal 1976 (which was a financial disaster), the Olympics have been making money, in the grand scheme of things.

So you can rest assured that your extra council tax will reap dividends. Just don't ask who gets those dividends though (builders, media, advertisers, steroid manufacturers, etc).