Jump to content

Anyone else Olympic-ed out already?


just john
 Share

Recommended Posts

I can see both sides of the argument.

The Olympics as a great sporting spectacle? I love; the Olympics with the corporate snouts in the trough? I hate.

This quote from the Times today sums it up for me:

 “The Olympics are meant to be a celebration of human endeavour. However the ’people’s games’ in London are subject to the whims of global corporations and financial institutions who seek to ’legally’ avoid tax and saturate sport with their own marketing in an attempt to sanitise their reputations, never mind limiting ticket availability and securing VIP lanes,” Kate Morris (Occupy London)

I, for one, am going to be supporting the human endeavour, no matter what colours are being worn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 100
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

[quote user="Clair"]

I'm on the fence about the games/sports/competition per se.
I've always felt rather uncomfortable about crowing about someone else's prowess as if it were mine. Just because someone has a particular flag on his or her back doesn't mean their own achievement is mine to claim. As far as I am concerned, whatever sporting success is achieved by a team or an individual belongs to them and them only.
[/quote]

 

But as any psychologist will tell you these sporting events are a form of surrogate ritualised tribal warefare - or jousting tournament if you prefer - where the winning knight takes the lady's fair hand.

 

Our teams go out on the field (of battle) wearing our colours (flag or favour) and we will them on to beat the opposition.

 

This is no more obvious that in Football Derby matches, but applies to all levels of competitive sport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"] This quote from the Times today sums it up for me:

“The Olympics are meant to be a celebration of human endeavour. However the ’people’s games’ in London are subject to the whims of global corporations and financial institutions who seek to ’legally’ avoid tax and saturate sport with their own marketing in an attempt to sanitise their reputations, never mind limiting ticket availability and securing VIP lanes,” Kate Morris (Occupy London) [/quote]

That Kate has got it soooo right, Bradley had *k*, and the '2012' has some of the worse corporates, how dare they say that even '2012' is registered,

VIP lanes are not unique to London, and this morning I took my life in my hands crossing one of these in Dorset,

[quote user="Clair"]  I'm on the fence about the games/sports/competition per se. 
I am fed up to the back teeth with the continuous coverage of The Progress of The Torch.
I am baffled by the adoration shown to it, as if it were some rare artifact to be worshipped as it is carried aloft by our betters (Eastenders? Really?)
I feel manipulated and force-fed by the Beeb which keeps running these "news" items every time I want to watch some real news.
And if that makes me one of the "bah-humbugs", I'd rather be one of those than a sheep! [:D]
[/quote]

Hear, Hear, Clair - I've always looked on these things as tribal, and I don't use woad any more

Having said that, the Games are just not my bag and I detest it being force fed.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hubby has to drive into London at the moment for work, absolute nightmare.

|Hired Forklift, delivery from 20 minutes away took 3 hours, it was wanted on site at 830, got there at 1130.

Three hours to get home and it hasnt started yet.

Be glad when the b***** things over with.

We couldnt even get the North Korean flag right at the Ladies football, they showed the South Korean one.

Numpties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="bettyboop"]Hubby has to drive into London at the moment for work, absolute nightmare.

|Hired Forklift, delivery from 20 minutes away took 3 hours, it was wanted on site at 830, got there at 1130.

Three hours to get home and it hasnt started yet.[/quote]

There is an interesting difference between the BBC and the Torygraph on that: the BBC says "there were no real problems yesterday" whilst the Torygraph says that there were!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18977640

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9426367/Motorists-suffer-12-mile-Olympic-tailback...as-transport-chiefs-deny-gridlock.html

Based on your experience, I think someone has knobbled the BBC.

[quote user="bettyboop"]We couldnt even get the North Korean flag right at the Ladies football, they showed the South Korean one.

Numpties[/quote]

Actually I thought that was rather clever  ... but if only they had PLANNED it rather than it having happened by accident!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would be interesting to see a survey and find out how many Ex-Pats complaining about the UK TV coverage of the Olympics actually have a UK broadcast receiving licence [6] As for me I love sport and will "fill my boots" as they say in sarf London, but If something comes on I'm not interested in,  I will push the off button. I thought the torch relay was rather O/T until I saw some of the disabled participants and how much they enjoyed the event, made the rest seem bearable. As for the North Korean flag incident, I hope the Scottish first minister Mr Salmond wasn't in the vicinity, no he wouldn't would he? [Www]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="NickP"]Would be interesting to see a survey and find out how many Ex-Pats complaining about the UK TV coverage of the Olympics actually have a UK broadcast receiving licence...[/quote]

So you're suggesting no-one should be allowed to express an opinion about anything unless they're directly concerned... [8-)]

No commenting on US gun control - we don't live or pay our taxes there.

No comment about pensions unless you're in receipt of one.

No comment on French or Italian or US politics unless you vote in there.

Need I go on...? [blink]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="NickP"]Would be interesting to see a survey and find out how many Ex-Pats complaining about the UK TV coverage of the Olympics actually have a UK broadcast receiving licence...[/quote]

So you're suggesting no-one should be allowed to express an opinion about anything unless they're directly concerned... [8-)]
No commenting on US gun control - we don't live or pay our taxes there.
No comment about pensions unless you're in receipt of one.
No comment on French or Italian or US politics unless you vote in there.
Need I go on...? [blink]
[/quote] 

Hmmmm Touchy,  I was told on this forum by two integrated Brits that as I was a holiday home owner my opinions of events in France were not of any consequence. Don't remember you charging in to my defence me up then Clair?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="NickP"]I was told on this forum by two integrated Brits that as I was a holiday home owner my opinions of events in France were not of any consequence. Don't remember you charging in to my defence me up then Clair?[/quote]

Tit for tat?

If I had contributed to the thread, I would have.

As long as they abide by the CoC, forum users can contribute any opinion they want on any topic they choose, wherever they vote, pay their taxes or TV licence.

And that includes you and me! [:)]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="NickP"]Would be interesting to see a survey and find out how many Ex-Pats complaining about the UK TV coverage of the Olympics actually have a UK broadcast receiving licence [6] [/quote]

 

It happens that a former BBC executive knowing my situation asked if I would be prepared to get a UK TV licence to "legitimately" receive UK TV.

My answer was yes - I actually value the relatively good quality of UK TV station output.

The trouble is that to get a licence you need a UK address - so I think Nick the answer to your question will be close to zero.

 

And from my perspective the majority of what I have been subjected to so far, has been either quite legitimate reception of BBC World in hotels or foreign (German, French and Italian) stations.  It may be a UK event but it certainly is not a UK centric saturation of the airwaves.

 

And if you are going to enjoy filling your boots - well good luck and enjoy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Russethouse"]Well they can complain here, but it's kind of a cheap shot if they don't actually pay a license fee[/quote]

What's wrong with a cheap shot? In these times of austerity, I wouldn't expect expensive ones ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not me, it's only just started. Bring on the athletics, as I shall be glued to the telly every day. Then I am off at the end of August to watch some cycling in the velodrome and athletics at the Paralympics.

I am rather glad I missed out on tickets for the main games as I put myself down for £1400 quids worth. As it is it cost me £80 for for 16 tickets for the Para's, and that includes free travel to the games with London Transport.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I turned on the internet radio for the Today programme. "Due to rights restrictions, this part of the programme is not available" ...ALL the damn way through the programme.Was the WHOLE programme about the Olympics (tm)? And in any case, can't they tell the difference between news (which should NOT be subject to licensing restrictions) and live event reports (which perhaps may)? Or was this just another feck-up?

The official answer is:

[quote]We can confirm that this edition contained Olympics 2012 coverage which

meant there were rights restrictions in place. As a result of this it

could not be made available to people located outside the UK.

[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a lot of Ill put together waffle..........

So far the Olmpics has started off with a pet peeve as far as I am concerned: if participants can't be bothered to sing the national anthem they should accept a team place, and frankly these excuses of 'I'm Welsh/ Scottish , don't cut any ice with me, they are playing for Team GB, that's the song that goes with job.

If they feel so strongly they should lobby for an alternative anthem, they have had 7 years to think about it.

Rant over!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you'll find this link explains everything.

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/playing_radio_progs/radioonline_olympics

Basically any station that could possibly have coverage from an "olympic venue" is blocked. So no BBC Nations or local radio. Funnily enough BBC world service London were on the air and broadcasting from the olympic village. The problem with the today programme was they had sent James Naughtie to the village. I tuned into radio 5 via satellite (unrestricted) to hear Nicky Campbell describing how Mr Naughtie was tucking into a McMuffin!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Pickles"]So, I turned on the internet radio for the Today programme. "Due to rights restrictions, this part of the programme is not available" ...ALL the damn way through the programme.Was the WHOLE programme about the Olympics (tm)? And in any case, can't they tell the difference between news (which should NOT be subject to licensing restrictions) and live event reports (which perhaps may)? Or was this just another feck-up?
The official answer is:
[quote]We can confirm that this edition contained Olympics 2012 coverage which meant there were rights restrictions in place. As a result of this it could not be made available to people located outside the UK.
[/quote]
[/quote]

 

I suggest that anyone affected should contact the BBC and let forth your displeasure. It might just have an effect if enough people do it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

Very bottom of the page "Contact us"


_________________
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The discussions about the Olympics is pretty much a topic on all ex-pat forums, and of course there is the usual divide, for and against. I have just read on another forum a quote that I feel just about sums it up:   

 

"Every four years the youth of the world celebrate the Olympic spirit and every four years the boring old farts of the world revel in their tedious cynicism. Just as well the future lies in the right hands." (Courtesy "Dr O")

 

P.S. I apologise for reading other forums, but we are in the middle of a huge thunderstorm, so I can't get into the garden.

 

[:D] [:D] [:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="NickP"]"Every four years the youth of the world celebrate the Olympic spirit and every four years the boring old farts of the world revel in their tedious cynicism. Just as well the future lies in the right hands." (Courtesy "Dr O")[/quote]

The youth of the UK will be paying for it for a long time to come ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Pickles"]So, I turned on the internet radio for the Today programme. "Due to rights restrictions, this part of the programme is not available"

The official answer is:

[quote]We can confirm that this edition contained Olympics 2012 coverage which

meant there were rights restrictions in place. As a result of this it

could not be made available to people located outside the UK.[/quote][/quote]

That's why I couldn't listen to Today on my iPad this AM! [8-)]

I use TuneIn as an alarm on my iPad and have set the congenial voices on the Today program to rouse me from slumber, but found this morning's program replaced by the above message on a continual loop...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would find it a little easier to engage with the "olympic spirit" if there were less evidence that a few people are making vast amounts of money for "managing" a project that has been given what amounts to a blank cheque:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/paulkelso/100019162/executives-strike-gold-in-london-2012-olympic-pay-league/

We're paying huge salaries and "performance bonuses" to the managers of a project that is costing more than SEVEN times the originally-announced budget (£1.5 Billion, as announced in the candidature document), during a period when everyone else is being required to accept reduced incomes and increased outgoings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...