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DET
we got all those promises as well
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr no
businesses closed, or at the very least lost thousands, because customers could not get to them
the Olympics cost so much money, that municipal, provincial and federal governments lost money
Security alone cost close to $1 billion .... which was double the original estimate.
Vancouver even ended up having to take over the Athletes Village before the Games opened to make sure it would be finished on time. Vancouver tax-payers now "own" the property, and we may get the money (well over $4 million) back, some day after all the converted apartments have been sold. Gone by the wayside has been any promise that a certain number of those apartments would be for low income buyers and renters.
Also interesting is the type of jobs that the members and original workers on the local committee have since moved onto
Re the IOC
have you heard about the hotel room requirements??
5 star hotel, rooms of a certain minimum size.
Jacques Rogge to have a WALL of giant TVs in the room, so he can watch all events ................ plus an top level executive business suite in the Olympic Headquarters building, with a wall of giant TVs there.
Other IOC members to have 1 giant TV in their hotel room
A luxury stretch limousine for each IOC member ....... can't have them sharing even if going to the same venue, can we?
ALL costs to be paid for by the Local Committee
Meanwhile, athletes had to have a certain maximum amount of space in a double bedded room. If apartments (flats), as they were here ............ no cooking equipment, laundry facilities, etc in the room. Even TVs were forbidden, until certain countries went out and bought them for their athletes. A two bedroom apartment to have 4-6 athletes.
In my humble opinion, the IOC and therefore Olympics are the biggest boon dogglers out.
It is nothing about the athletes, but about certain people making money hand over fist. They don't even seem to have cleaned up the bribery that dogged the Salt Lake Games.
I feel so sorry for the athletes who work so hard to make their country's team.
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It is very peaceful outside tonight :)
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I remember a fuss being made over the US basketball team staying in a hotel instead of the Olympic village. Basketball players are TALL!! They wouldn't fit into normal beds. No idea if all the tall athletes (not just basketball players) made their own arrangements. Can't remember which year it was. Imagine being 7' tall trying to sleep in an ordinary bed. It would be like me trying to sleep in a baby's cot.
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Sadly the flame will by-pass where I live. Only the biggest town in the County but we aren't to see it. I must admit, although I didn't think the flame was a naked flame, I did think it would have been carried from A to B without the use of a motor vehicle in between..
My sisters in Australia and she can't wait for the Olympics.
Vera
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I dont live in London but there will be an event in my small town.
They had a practice a few months back and gave us parking permits for two cars per house and that was on a sunday. I must admit I would'nt park in my road and walk there it would take at least half an hour.
Will be interesting to see what it is like when it does take place if it is going to be on week days, when all the workers and shoppers are about.
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Vera
Canada was I believe the first country to have the Olympic torch literally visit all parts of the country, even up into the Arctic regions at -40C
The flame was carried from Athens to Vancouver in a Miner's Lamp, which was placed on one of the seats on the plane
There was a second lamp also carrying a flame lit from the cauldron in Greece, "just in case" the main one went out.
The torches carried by the runners were lit from the Miner's Lamp and then from each other as the day's relay continued.
We had First Nations Watchers in charge of THE flame all day and night.
The flame in the Miner's Lamp was moved from area to area in cars, by dog sled, snowmobiles, and plane.
The runners did carry a real live flame in the torch, and had to light the torch of the next runner ................. but there was always the Miner's Lamp in one of the cars following the runners.
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That's how I imagined it should be Sylvia. That must have taken some organising. I would love to see the flame even a plastic one and I may go into the next town to see it. Very disappointed it is not coming to my town which is in spitting distance of a major road where the flame will be transported.
I do imagine, at least, that there will be a naked flame carried by a runner to light up the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium.
Vera
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as if all that, wasnt enough disruption!!
Well, it's my bleedin' manor - -
- - 'innit ?
Yer, well, OK - - so you've seen it all before but, but, but look at the updates, now at last, Stratford Boys have a chance of some limelight, OK, not much of it is legit but whose counting
HIC.
?
London (Stratford) will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2012.
Many of the famous events, which go to make up
this spectacular event, are to be especially altered for 2012. A copy of
these changes has been leaked, and is reproduced below:
OPENING CEREMONY
The flame will be ignited by a petrol bomb thrown by a resident of the area
in the traditional dress of balaclava and shell suit. The flame will be
contained in a large overturned police van situated on the roof of the
stadium.
THE EVENTS
In previous Olympic Games, East London 's competitors have not been
particularly successful. In order to redress the balance, some of the events have been altered slightly to the advantage of local athletes.
100 METRES SPRINT
Competitors will have to hold a DVD player and microwave oven (one in each arm) and on the sound of the starting pistol, a police dog will be released from a cage 10 yards behind the athletes.
110 METRES HURDLES
As above but with added obstacles (i.e. car bonnets, hedges, garden fences,walls etc)
HAMMER
Competitors in this event may choose the type of hammer they wish to use(claw, sledge etc) the winner will be the one who can cause the most
physical damage within three attempts.
FENCING
Entrants will be asked to dispose of as many stolen goods as possible in 5 minutes.
SHOOTING
A strong challenge is expected from local men in this event. The first
target will be a moving police van. In the second round, competitors will
aim at a post office clerk, bank teller or Securicor-style wages
deliveryman. The traditional .22 rifle has been replaced in this event by a
choice of either a Browning automatic handgun or sawn-off 12-bore shotgun.
BOXING
Entry to the Boxng will be restricted to husband and wife teams, and will
take place on a Friday night. The husband will be given 15 pints of lager
while the wife will be told not to make him any tea when he gets home. The bout will then commence.
CYCLING TIME TRIALS
Competitors will be asked to break into the university bike shed and take an expensive mountain bike owned by some mummy's boy on his first trip away from home. All against the clock.
CYCLING PURSUIT
As above, but the bike will be owned by a visiting member of the Australian rugby team, who will witness the theft.
MODERN PENTATHLON
Amended to include mugging, breaking and entering, flashing, joyriding and arson.
THE MARATHON
A safe route has yet to be decided.
MEN'S 50KM WALK
Unfortunately this will have to be cancelled as the police cannot guarantee
the safety of anyone walking the streets of East London , especially anyone that appears to be... mincing.
THE CLOSING CEREMONY
Entertainment will include formation rave dancing by members of the
Stratford Health in the Community anti-drug campaigners, synchronised rock throwing, and music by the Ilford community choir. The flame will be
extinguished by police riot water cannon following the inevitable pitch
invasion by confused a locally organised hooliganism club. The stadium itself will then be boarded up before the local athletes break into it and remove all the copper piping and the central heating boiler.
SORTED !
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