[Closed] Anyone NOT watching any Olympics?

If you own a telly then I guess it's going to be impossible to miss it. Personally I'm such a miserable sod all I can see is a fat corporate machine stealing tax payers cash and using it to make the well healed feel great about britain for 2 weeks

Pah....

I'll be taking advantage of the (hopefully) quiet roads tonight to travel back home to Englandshire, with any luck it'll be like travelling during one of the England games in the World Cup!

in this heat?!

I won't be watching any of it, not even the road race that goes past my front door. I'm glad many millions of people are going to enjoy it, I just won't be one of them

I won't be. I don't watch much TV anyway and have never been much of a spectator. 😛

I won't be watching any of it, not even the road race that goes past my front door.

😯

I'm going to miss the road race cause I'm going to be riding bikes. Which sucks and is awesome at the same.

I am going to try and miss most of it.

I was quite successful with the recent jubilee celebrations.

I guess this is on for longer though.

I'm watching every second I can, same as Sydney and Beijing. We've got it on in the office too, everyone watching all day and not much work is expected to be done.

And if you have tickets to an event you go and you dont need to book time off. Thats the attitude but then we're right on the edge of East London/City so the place is jumping with people and good cheer.

I've stated from the start that I've no time for the Olympics, therefore it would be hypocritical of me to then pitch up and watch any of it*

*I'll also be riding my bike

Me, I'm away teaching teenagers how to survive in the woods without being captured by the enemy.

Should be more entertaining than the opening ceremony and I'm told the guard house on the training area has a TV so I can catch up on the road race 🙂

I shall be watching some of it. Not religiously but I'm sufficiently interested in sport to enjoy watching some of it. Not churlish enough to just dismiss it out of hand...

Why not watch it. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, unless you were born before 1948 and had a TV.

Well, I'm treating it the same as the Royal Wedding and the Jubilee. Didn't watch, not interested. Just angry at money and resources that have been wasted with this crap, it's insulting to many who are enduring tough times.

As for Lord Coe, well I would happily punch his lights out.

Why not watch it. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, unless you were born before 1948 and had a TV.

Why not watch it

Because in my personal opinion it's a massive commercial scam taking money that we can ill afford and spending it on something that will remove the focus from the world of sh1t we're in for two weeks and two weeks only. The fact that people are being charged for tickets yet expected to fun this shambles via taxation is disgusting. Hide behind your flags with the Olympic rings printed on one side and Lloyds TSB logo on the other and sip from the corporate super-sized Coca-cola cup of greed being fed to you by those who don't actually give a shit about sport. Whilst you're enjoying the spectacle provided by Danny Boyle tonight, ignore the fact that the country is pretty much screwed and look at the little fluffy clouds, the green grass and the smiling faces of the image that Boyle is pushing at you. Seriously, you couldn't make it up....

What it boils down to is that the gazillion billion it cost to put on this shambles could have been far better spent elsewhere. Public transport, the financial sector, the public sector (including health and schooling) are crying out for decent funding. Instead we get this shit.

I'm not going to be hypocritical by stating this then watching the games. Given a choice (and the time off work) I'd have left the country while the farce is going on

+1 to the un-interested, will happily spend the time on empty trails instead. Luckily due to sky+, I no longer feel the need to watch content I'm not interested it.

Good luck to all involved, and if you want to spend time watching it..

Apparently they're on every 4 years,

Because in my personal opinion it's a massive commercial scam taking money that we can ill afford and spending it on something that will remove the focus from the world of sh1t we're in for two weeks and two weeks only. The fact that people are being charged for tickets yet expected to fun this shambles via taxation is disgusting. Hide behind your flags with the Olympic rings printed on one side and Lloyds TSB logo on the other and sip from the corporate super-sized Coca-cola cup of greed being fed to you by those who don't actually give a shit about sport. Whilst you're enjoying the spectacle provided by Danny Boyle tonight, ignore the fact that the country is pretty much screwed and look at the little fluffy clouds, the green grass and the smiling faces of the image that Boyle is pushing at you. Seriously, you couldn't make it up....

What it boils down to is that the gazillion billion it cost to put on this shambles could have been far better spent elsewhere. Public transport, the financial sector, the public sector (including health and schooling) are crying out for decent funding. Instead we get this shit.

I'm trying to find a way to argue with that, but I can't so...

+1.

Whilst I could just ignore all the politics, corporate nonsense and commercialism rammed down our throats and just enjoy the sport and magnitude of the event, sadly the whole thing just doesn't sit well with me so I can't bring myself to watch it. I'd just prefer to pretend it wasn't happening, so I will be doing just that.

I won't be watching it. Not for any reason involving commercialism or tax payers money. But simply because I hardly watch any TV and am not interested in watching sports.

On British soil?

+1 won't be watching, didn't go for it when I had the chance of entering (years ago)and try to ignore the immense corrupting influence it still has on many of the sports I'm into. It's about money, a gravy train, and a bullshit media fest, I'm sick of it already and the millions it's costing..

Well said flange! 🙂

I'm currently funding my medical investigations/treatment ... for the second time. This afternoon, I've been organising various blood tests and so far the tally is almost £300. Have been utterly failed by the NHS.

I'm just going to enjoy the world class athletes doing their thing without buying into the corporate cockwarbling

And fair play to you for that. I on the other hand would rather set myself on fire than entertain any of it, like I said it would be hypocritical of me to slate it then watch it. And I love watching bike racing, but this whole thing leaves a sour taste which in my book is too hard to overlook.

[b]Lord[/b] Seb Coe - a title given to an overpaid waste of skin by an overpaid waste of skin...

I'm currently funding my medical investigations/treatment ... for the second time.

That is truly a disgusting state of affairs. Whilst all the high-rollers prance around the Mall and where ever over the course of the next two weeks, back slapping and proclaiming how great this nation is, walk two miles in any direction from where they're standing and see where that money could have been better spent. It's so bad it would be laughable were it not for the effects it will have for the next however many years. Its a total ****ing joke and it makes me hate this country even more....in fact - no it doesn't. It makes me hate the media/personalities/people who command power even more. My little spot of calm in the sticks well away from every cretin with St George Cross wingmirror covers is lovely. I'll stay there with the TV switched off and the Olympic lovers can watch 'their' games....

Off for a ride tonight. Far too nice a summer evening to be indoors.

Because in my personal opinion it's a [s]massive commercial scam[/s] sporting event

If my friends organise a party, book a band I don't like, order food I don't like, and make too much noise, I'll still go, cos they are my friends.

Likewise the sport. Sport is good, I like it. I do not like the corporate bollocks, but throwing the baby out with the bathwater isn't going to make me feel better.

If my friends organise a party, book a band I don't like, order food I don't like, and make too much noise, I'll still go, cos they are my friends.

If your friends made you pay for it, taking money that you'd planned to spend on food/cost of living/entertainment you actually wanted would you be so ambivalent?

If your friends made you pay for it, taking money that you'd planned to spend on food/cost of living/entertainment you actually wanted would you be so ambivalent?

I'm on holiday for most of it, so won't be watching. I might record the XC events and the Road racing. Other than that, nope.

Why not? I'd start using vocabulary like "for the greater good" and "compromise"

Greater good? Are you really so naive? Where is the greater good in any of this?

if they were using my money i'd demand jacket potato skins with cheese and crispy bacon bits on top, instead we get happy meals. PAH!

Where is the greater good in any of this?

Greater good? Are you really so naive? Where is the greater good in any of this?

Clearly the relationship with the friends

In relation to the games? In this (somewhat dodgy) analogy, it would be like saying I'm paying for people I don't know to have a party eating food I don't want listening to music I don't like.

If your friends made you pay for it, taking money that you'd planned to spend on food/cost of living/entertainment you actually wanted would you be so ambivalent?

Ok well that is stretching it a bit. The govt aren't my friends, and I have no choice but to give them money.

But the point is that they already have taken and spent my money. Feeling bitter isn't going to help, so you may as well watch the sport. If you're a sports fan of course. If not then you have a perfectly reasonable reason not to watch!

Ah right, we're jumping between friends and game, my comment was in reference to molly and his friends. Now you want me to apply that to the games? Sheesh!!
The only thing I can say to that is the sponsor who wouldn't say how much they were investing but admitted that they would double their money. I guess that would be their greater good. Try stepping back and looking at the point of view of others.
In this analogy I'm not paying for anything I don't want to.
I pay tax and that is spent on lots of things I don't need or want. Life sucks at times.

Feeling bitter isn't going to help, so you may as well watch the sport

NIMBY. Why can't we just have a fortnight of frowning and grumbling about hoodies instead.

i think i see where donny is going with his analogy.... there seems to be a lot of excited people who want to enjoy the limpiks, they'd be the friends in this instance?

EDIT, left the page open and it was cleared up by the time i hit send (went to the toilet dontchaknow)

(yes i washed my hands)

The only thing I can say to that is the sponsor who wouldn't say how much they were investing but admitted that they would double their money. I guess that would be their greater good.

Ah yes, the lottery funding that was diverted from worthwhile projects is being used to help poor hard done by McDonalds and Coca Cola boost their profits, probably at the cost to the health of the nation. Not to worry, the NHS is well enough resourced to deal with the waves of obesity we're not dealing with, thanks to the likes of McDonald's and Coca Cola. yup, greater good and all that. All hail king profit.

Surely McDonalds and Coke are paying to have their logos all over the place, and that money is going towards the games. And not that the lottery funding is going towards putting up loads of McDonalds and Coke adverts. Cause that seems a little silly.

So the total bill is 9Bn. That includes the cost of paying the police and army who would still be paid if they were on barracks in Aldershot or wherever. It also includes building the infrastructure which was desperately needed in a deprived area. It includes the 2Bn needed to run LOCOG which was raised through private companies and 2.2Bn raised from the lottery. Just under 1Bn cones from the Greater London Authority who see it as in investment to benefit Londoners. A further 1Bn has come in from ticket sales.

That leaves 3Bn from general taxation. This is what the UK government spends every 3 hours (roughly) and this has been spent over the last 7 years. Given that there are 40,000 visiting athletes and around 1 million visiting spectators/officials, if they all spend £300 (very easy in a fortnight on food, accommodation etc) then for the country the games breaks even.

It has paid for the huge construction work, employed 10's of thousands of people, regenerated a deprived area and the Olympic stadium has been delivered on time, and it's the first Olympic stadium ever built without the loss of a single life.

Sport is great. It brings people together and I for one am really looking forward to watching as much as I can. Despite not being able to get any tickets...

@ cg: If you're not interested then why are you posting of forums about it, are you trolling, bitter, stupid, attention seeking or all of the above?

Just curious.

Now let the rest of us enjoy ourselves.

I,m looking forward to it,sorry i,ll try and get more miserable and bitter as i get older,promise.

i think i see where donny is going with his analogy.... there seems to be a lot of excited people who want to enjoy the limpiks, they'd be the friends in this instance?

I pay tax and that is spent on lots of things I don't need or want. Life sucks at times

So do I on occasion, and it goes on things like drug rehabilitation (I don't take drugs), primary schools (I don't have kids), housing benefits (I pay a mortgage and don't receive any financial support) and so on. I don't begrudge any of it. However I don't see McFilth, Coke or Lloyds TSB profiting from them either nor do I have it shoved down my throat when I want to drive somewhere tomorrow morning.

@ cg: If you're not interested then why are you posting of forums about it, are you trolling, bitter, stupid, attention seeking or all of the above?

Just curious.

Now let the rest of us enjoy ourselves.

Really? You can't voice your opinion if it differs from the (blinded) majority? Who the **** are you - the forum Overlord?

I suppose I should care about themoney and stuff but the real reason I'm not watching is for the same reason I rarely watch any olympics stuff, just not that interested. And I'll be on a plane when the cycling is on so ho hum.

rewski - it was obvious from the thread title what the content would be so you didn't have to read it did you?

No, I am not trolling neither am I bitter, nor stupid nor attention-seeking.

Jog on and enjoy yourself.

I think you're trolling

I struggle with long sentences.

I'm going to be out on the empty roads BLEHHMMMMING it HARD on my 1250 BANDIT..

Any slow moving traffic will be passed quickly and safely, whether they think so or not.

Coz I can.

[TAGS] PP and Woody and everyone else with rotchcrockets[/TAGS]

My telly's been confiscated after watching the Tour De France and been permanently tuned to NCIS. I dislike NCIS. A lot.

However I don't see McFilth, Coke or Lloyds TSB profiting from them either nor do I have it shoved down my throat when I want to drive somewhere tomorrow morning.

So the total bill is 9Bn. That includes the cost of paying the police and army who would still be paid if they were on barracks in Aldershot or wherever.

Regardless of the fact that £283m was given to G4S who have failed to do their jobs? And the various temporary Army digs set up around London are of course all free aren't they. It doesn't cost money to arrange them?

It also includes building the infrastructure which was desperately needed in a deprived area.

Are we referring to the 'new' station at Stratford that forces you to walk through the shopping mall to get to the Games? The same Stratford station that doesn't actually have any more services stopping there (which is desperately needed) on the Norwich-Liverpool St line? Or the A12 that goes past Stratford that hasn't been touched but is going to be an absolute nightmare for anyone trying to get into Canary Wharf over the next two weeks?

Just under 1Bn cones from the Greater London Authority who see it as in investment to benefit Londoners

Really? How so? I'd love to know how the one street in Kingston that's been resurfaced and had all lovely new street furniture put in when it was actually the one street in Kingston that didn't need it is going to benefit anyone. Or all the facilities that may or may not be kept.

It has paid for the huge construction work, employed 10's of thousands of people, regenerated a deprived area and the Olympic stadium has been delivered on time, and it's the first Olympic stadium ever built without the loss of a single life

Yes, its been paid for with money that would have been better spent elsewhere, as already pointed out. And as far as I know, Stratford is still a sh1thole and for the majority of it remains untouched by the so-called redevelopment. And what sort of selling point is 'nobody lost their life building it'. Its not Bridge over the River Kwai.

punching coe in the face, really?

don't worry i'm jogging on, this place stinks of whinge buckets.

Who the **** are you - the forum Overlord?

[i]Anyone NOT watching any Olympics?[/i]

It will be quite difficult for me as I have no TV. Suppose there is the iplayer thingy, but I'm not sure if I'll bother.

But I hope I can catch the cycling online somewhere.

EDIT:

Oh, looks like I may have wandered into a flame-off.
Ignore me.

where's the benefit in sitting inside watching it

Because I enjoy sport. Coke or McDs have nothing to do with that.

I will still go out riding etc, trust me!

boriselbrus - good post, however: it may not be a significant sum of money relative to everything but it is a significant sum of money.

I would like to know how many people have been paid to build stuff and produce raw materials etc for all this stuff. How much of the money has actually been paid to overseas companies? Otherwise surely it's just Keynsian stimulus isn't it?

I would love that title but I fear it's already taken, sounds like you just want a forum ruck, I'm not bitting I'm afraid.

Nope, not at all. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and just because [s]yours is wrong[/s] you support the games doesn't mean everyone has to.

I'm boring myself now so I'll give it a rest, I feel better for having a rant. Thanks all x

Why are some people having a hissy fit? I've stayed away from the pro-Olympic threads so nobody's been upset there.

Some people. 🙄

Why are some people having a hissy fit? I've stayed away from the pro-Olympic threads so nobody's been upset there.

i might watch some of the cycling, but i have no interest in Athletics, Swimming, judo, archery, etc etc. So why would i watch them just because it is the Olympics? To be honest most cycling is boring to watch as well, i am just hoping the road race isn't a sprinters procession as i find that sort of thing very boring.

From wonderful illegal raves to crass world wide mainstream TV. Lord, how far have Underworld fallen...

i wont be watching any of the drug fueled, doped up, over sponsored corporate shambles that is the Olympics...

Everyone is just miserable cause they all know that Sagan is gonna tear it to pieces in the road race and beat Cav.

Just got back from a week's holiday in [s]Paradise[/s] Dorset and the traffic was terrible. What's going on? Did I miss anything?

I'll watch some when not riding my bikes walking the dog and returned from torridon. I like sport but don't care that' it's in London.

Royally pissed off the the OH is down there policing and for the three weeks and they still don't know what or where they are policing. She spent 15 hours traveling in a coach due to the budget restriction and they were given £10 spending money £5 for each way, yet big wigs congratulate the organisers because they take 50 minutes to get from wheels touching down to Mayfair.

I like sport. Theres gonna be a lotta sport on in the next few weeks. But I must say the CRAP that has been on since i got in from work has been well, er, CRAP! and then after that there's the [i]countdown[/i] to the opening ceremony for 2 hours! A COUNTDOWN for TWO HOURS?? are they trying to make people pissed off with it before its even started?

no TV so not much coverage for us.

I think flange is taking an early lead for gold in the STW "Olympic Whinging" event.

But I reckon the pack will catch up at some time over the next two weeks. Very hard to maintain a solo breakaway for that length of time.

😉

Worked on it for 9 months and now have zero interest in watching any of it.

Oh, me and a few thousand others could have told you months ago that G4S would make a hash of security - the arrangements for getting in and out of the construction site was farcical at the best of times and that operation was tiny compared to policing the actual games. The language barrier caused quite a problem at times with a lot of the people they dragged up to man the gates.

The language barrier caused quite a problem at times with a lot of the people they dragged up to man the gates.

Poor effort don - crawl off back under your stone.

Man gates - wtf are you even on about?

Oh and whilst I'm fully aware that you are desperately searching my post for some racist undertones, they aren't there. A good percentage of the security staff couldn't speak very good English - end of!

Sneaky edit there don 😕

Oh and whilst I'm fully aware that you are desperately searching my post for some racist undertones, they aren't there

I've been true to my word. Haven't even looked at the news either.

In a few weeks it will be over, egos polished and shining brightly, then Joe Public will realise that the wool has been pulled over their eyes.

Then the moaning will start, probably on here first. 😉

Olympic moaning about the Olympics is well underway here CG

Thank goodness a Big Hitter has joined in. 😉 C'mon al - we need your words, wisdom or otherwise!

I struggle with long sentences what are you minnows arguing about?

Nah, the minnows are in London. 🙂

Mrs zip has the telly ,I have a spade and have been either squashing snails or cutting slugs in half.

What does I struggle with long sentences stand for?