Can't Help Thinking Money Spent On The Olympics Couldn't Help The Poor Instead

Hiya Janey, Me too I am normally an optimist always have been. I see what it has to do with the Olmypics the money bit because they tend to be too elaborate and spend too much money on the wrong thing when it could go to help other people and other projects as well. Not biased about the Medals just by taking part in the Olympics you surely already have to be a Champion we should be proud of those who are taking part even if they come last because it took them a lot of effort to get there I know because I used to live next Door well almost should I say corner to corner with a former British Athlete I used to let her win all the Races lol. She is still probably training Athletes I should imagine she is in London I imagine at least. I get fed up of hearing bad Commentators when the Olympics are on so I hope they are decent and not just concentrating on would be Gold Medalists although that is very normal but hey what about the middle Guy? The ones who almost get there? Well here´s hoping that it all goes well and everyone has something to take their minds off the general topic "there is no money" lol.xxx

Hiya Janey, Yes some Commentators spoil everything they just never say the right thing lol. I used to love hearing Chris Howarth and Simon Reed when they were both together commentating on the European Skating Championship and all those kind of things. David Duffield is a great Bike Race Commentator as well you will never keep hearing about Indurain for the whole of the Race he always mentions the small fry you know the little Guy who always works hard in the background to help the big guys going same as the Footballers I suppose too. I remember watching Jane and Chris in that famous Olympics medal thing and the British Commentator was awful he said there you have them Jane and Chris and that was it lol I thought I would love to get paid just for saying that. I don´t know those Commentators at all but the two Women that are together commentating on the Women Gymnasts they are quite terrible at pulling People apart. I don´t know their names but I would never hire them they are like a bucket of cold water on anyone. See what you about the other Commentator what does he do drone on and on lol? Oh yes they do that here too they have just run a gruelling Race and are panting away with tongue almost on the Floor and they ask them about their personal life as if you can think about that just at that moment. I like watching most Sports and will make an effort to watch all of the Olympics I can yesterday two Spaniards got a much deserved Silver Medal in the Gymnasts thing and that was in London but to do with the Worlds. My favourite is Gervasio de Foe lol so handsome too but I don´t think that he will be there this time more like he will be training someone. Spanish Commentators I don´t even listen to their drone as they never really say anything constructive either. Well life is full of things like that if only the Commentators could be sort of like Jimmy Saville style is that asking too much do you think? xxx

I'm normally an optimist and I guess the article on the Save the Children website upset me a bit. That said, I'm hoping for an Olympics to remember and one that gives the young (especially) something to cheer about..especially if we win loads of medals. Fat chance!

Shame you can't open the link. Basically, it shows a family sitting indoors with the kids wearing hats and scarves, sitting in front of an electric fire for half an hour at a time because the parents can't afford it for longer than that. They're also shown huddled on the settee with a blanket over them for warmth. Save the Children have a campaign to try to stop families like these from descending into what is called Fuel Poverty. These are people who don't earn enough to pay their energy bills.

My thought can't help going out to those children.They increased the price of energy once and again and don't care whether the people who earn the minimum live or die.Thank you for sharing it with me,I first hear Fuel Poverty.

Slightly OT from the Olympics in London,but I was listening to a segment of a radio show where the presenter had gone to Haiti as part of a Charity initiative to help with the disaster relief work there,and someone had phoned in to raise the point would the money raised by the charity not have been of more use sent directly to the country to be used by and for the locals,rather than using it to fly in and support foreigners to do the work? It was maintained in response that local infrastructure had been wiped out,that there was no coherent organisation in place to make best use of the relief funds,so that sending tradespeople and specialists and paying for security was the best way to help on the ground..and the argument kept going around and around from there..

That's the optimistic view of it and I do hope it happens.

Man has set foot on the Moon? I doubt that. It was filmed in a studio wasn't it?

According to my Mum (who reads the newspapers, I don't bother) even the lowest energy tariff is too high so that needs to be addressed. I reckon they should ditch the VAT as that makes a massive difference to bills.

VAT is an EC tax that was imposed after we made the mistake of joining. It replaced the previous purchace tax which was levied at a much lower rate. That in itself caused a big instant rise in the cost of living. Now we are paying VAT at 17% on practically everything, (not energy though) and I remember when that rate of VAT was only levied on "luxury" items. Apparently, almost everything is now a luxury item!

I agree. I don't want to be a kiljoy and actually WANT the Olympics to fail as we're usually good at organising these things (EURO 96 was a tremendous success at the time) and if it brings people together I'm in favour of that BUT the lavish opening and closing ceremonies are there for the rich and they often make me cringe. I cannot understand why they're so popular. I'd much rather watch Usane Bolt win his 100m Gold which he's bound to do..unless he's disqualified..not for the first time lol.

Thats my plan - go camping in Scotland or something like that a long way away from any TV

If it were me I'd take a fortnight off but I guess not everyone will be able to do that as it's not feasible. Mind you, a fair few of them don't live in London anyway.

Aah yes, the military. Armed to the back teeth..oh, and we arm other nations too. How nice!

Too true! We just bought one of your lovely ships off you Janey a few weeks ago for $100000000! That oughta make a difference!

I know. Her boyfriends mother would not go out of her way one bit to help them out and she has far more money than I do.

That's so kind of you to help them out like that but - like you said, you're living nearby..still, not everyone would do it, not even for family. To be honest, I wish the Millennium had never arrived..it's all gone downhill since 2000!

Janey, don't you know, that is what professional sport is and always has been about - money. YOUR money going into THEIR pockets! And what do you get in return? Well, nothing really.

Hello! I agree that too much money is spent on the football but that's only in the top tier..and we have Sky to thank for that (gits) lol. In actual fact, a couple of players here who aren't getting what they want have gone to CHINA and it's obvious they've gone for the money as that country is rich beyond compare. Eventually, all our clubs will be bought with Chinese money and when that day comes we may as well forget our footballing heritage. We invented the game and it's being turned into one HUGE business. It sucks, quite frankly!

I think that a lot of the work created is short term which will only last as long as the event itself. That is no use at all.

Yeah, it is short term.. But at least, the money trickles down to the levels where it should go instead of ending in the pockets of some rich politician. You know what we did Janey. We let the politician and his bunch of croonies complete the job. We held the event successfully. Immediately after everybody left, we started investigation on the politician, and we sent him behind the bars for irregularities, which are actually pretty normal out here.

What amazingly wise words you've said there. I've liked the fact you've thought of each side, so to speak. You're right about people in work not complaining as it's hard to find jobs here too..and if the Olympic legacy is employment for more people that would be brilliant. Let's hope it lasts.

Fair point but don't you think the security costs are a tad over-the-top? It's bound to put people off from exploring what London has to offer. I also think the opening and closing ceremonies are a waste of time..and they should let the locals in for free for those anyway, not the VIPS.

Oh yeah, the opening and closing ceremonies are all about pomp and circumstance and there is probably plenty of pressure on 'outdoing' the previous Olympics. As far as security, I am sure the costs are waaay over the top, not just a tad. But in this day and age, I really don't think you can be too careful. The Olympics are, and have been in the past, a perfect target for attacks (to wit: Munich, Atlanta). I guess it depends on how you look at it. The Olympics are designed to showcase the best amateur athletes the world has to offer. These young people have dedicated their lives to train for that magic moment. I remember the disappointment for many athletes when it was decided to boycott the Moscow Olympics in 1980. For many of them, what they had trained for all their lives was all for naught. Unfortunately the Olympics have been going on for centuries with poverty existing all around in the world.

I know there was a big hoo-hah over Wembley and whether or not that should've had a running track but it was deemed it should be primarily a football/rugby stadium. The economic downturn has happened since then and the new Olympic Stadium cost a fortune and over-run its budget. I only hope that whoever uses it after the Olympics runs it well, otherwise it will be another Millennium Dome..a venue that should've been the O2 Arena from the start!

I'm not too sure of the law here (I shall have to research it sometime) but I should imagine we have the same set-up. I'm only thankful that there hasn't been a Big Freeze like last year.

What, you mean in 3 or 4 days? Wow, that's obscene and, to be honest, it's the same here. Many people get upset about it but, unfortunately, nothing gets done. You do get the odd CEO who forgoes his salary for a year but they're not likely to go hungry anytime soon.

It's a shame it can't be organised like EURO 96. I know in that instance it was only England that benefited BUT the Olympics is a UK thing (and it's a very small country), therefore, why can't some sports be shared? I'm not actually going to the Olympics but I've said many times that I love the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Wouldn't it be marvellous if all the other countries in the UK benefited AT THE TIME? It's just that London won the bid, therefore that's where it has to be staged (apart from the sailing) and I can't help thinking everyone else is going to miss out. Wow, I'm a radical thinker at times!

I believe so. I do try to watch American news channels whenever I can in order to educate myself although Fox News saying they're "Fair and Balanced" is a term that does make me laugh to be honest..although our own BBC News is a tad left-wing!

I do too.