A Little Good News
spaniels ears, if you choose to measure a nation's prowess by sporting achievment, then fine, that's your opinion.
I happen to feel that there are more important things in life than sport.
I happen to feel that there are more important things in life than sport.
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spaniels ears
I guess the other 'grumpy old man' you refered to was me, so I'll bite!
If you, and the rest of your sqn have been able to get in all of your leave for 10 years+, then i would assume that you are not on an operational squadron. If you are, then perhaps you would care to enlighten us as to your a/c type you operate, what you are or do on the sqn and more importantly, how you have been able to manage it!!
I no longer have that problem, but I still know a great many aircrew in the services and I don't know any that get their full entitlement of leave.
As for the rubbish about those of us that were 'unmoved by the achievements of team GB' I can only say this.....
I wasn't particularly 'moved' by them I concede, but I was pleased to see that they had done so well. My big gripe is that I fail to see why a huge amount of everyday servicemen and women should have their lives turned upside down and generally fu£$ed about, so that a handful of (very) tallented sportspeople can have their minute glory. IMHO it wasn't worth it!
If you like watching or doing sports then great. But if you would rarther be with your wife, kids, family and/or friends then I don't see why you should have been screwed around by those would rarther run round a track, or chuck a spear or two.
So, there you have the two replies from the Grumpy Old Men.
Winco
I guess the other 'grumpy old man' you refered to was me, so I'll bite!
If you, and the rest of your sqn have been able to get in all of your leave for 10 years+, then i would assume that you are not on an operational squadron. If you are, then perhaps you would care to enlighten us as to your a/c type you operate, what you are or do on the sqn and more importantly, how you have been able to manage it!!
I no longer have that problem, but I still know a great many aircrew in the services and I don't know any that get their full entitlement of leave.
As for the rubbish about those of us that were 'unmoved by the achievements of team GB' I can only say this.....
I wasn't particularly 'moved' by them I concede, but I was pleased to see that they had done so well. My big gripe is that I fail to see why a huge amount of everyday servicemen and women should have their lives turned upside down and generally fu£$ed about, so that a handful of (very) tallented sportspeople can have their minute glory. IMHO it wasn't worth it!
If you like watching or doing sports then great. But if you would rarther be with your wife, kids, family and/or friends then I don't see why you should have been screwed around by those would rarther run round a track, or chuck a spear or two.
So, there you have the two replies from the Grumpy Old Men.
Winco
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Spaniels Ears
Well said.
I too, Beagle, am completely disinterested in sport and repelled by "jockstrappery". However, these games were about a great deal more than that. I was inspired to see the mass of competitors, volunteers, officials and spectators having a wonderful time, getting along together in such a buoyant, friendly and generous mood. And I was proud of how well we delivered it. Before the start I was apprehensive that Coe and those responsible for planning and organising the whole shebang would deliver a cringe making debacle and shame us in front of the whole world, as the Germans (Spiegel) were anticipating with their habitual schadenfreude. To my relief and delight they delivered the opposite. "Coe's Folly" was an international triumph, united the kingdom and confounded the foes and sceptics. The fact that our athletes also turned in an outstanding sporting performance was icing on the cake.
Those johnny foreigners once again made the mistake of underestimating us Brits! You'd think they would have learned by now.
Well said.
I too, Beagle, am completely disinterested in sport and repelled by "jockstrappery". However, these games were about a great deal more than that. I was inspired to see the mass of competitors, volunteers, officials and spectators having a wonderful time, getting along together in such a buoyant, friendly and generous mood. And I was proud of how well we delivered it. Before the start I was apprehensive that Coe and those responsible for planning and organising the whole shebang would deliver a cringe making debacle and shame us in front of the whole world, as the Germans (Spiegel) were anticipating with their habitual schadenfreude. To my relief and delight they delivered the opposite. "Coe's Folly" was an international triumph, united the kingdom and confounded the foes and sceptics. The fact that our athletes also turned in an outstanding sporting performance was icing on the cake.
Those johnny foreigners once again made the mistake of underestimating us Brits! You'd think they would have learned by now.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Spaniel,
At the risk of thread drift, I feel justified in my comment in context. Laarbruch, good point thank you.
In the cold war days we still had pressures on leave but we also had more man power and a little flex.
My point is that leave is an entitlement and it should not be pared away. The norm should be for all leave to be taken not that leave is lost.
And I am not out of touch as one son-in-law had had OOA in Iraq and Afg, the other is about to start a second in Afg, my daughter has done an OOA in Afg. They all got their leave.
At the risk of thread drift, I feel justified in my comment in context. Laarbruch, good point thank you.
In the cold war days we still had pressures on leave but we also had more man power and a little flex.
My point is that leave is an entitlement and it should not be pared away. The norm should be for all leave to be taken not that leave is lost.
And I am not out of touch as one son-in-law had had OOA in Iraq and Afg, the other is about to start a second in Afg, my daughter has done an OOA in Afg. They all got their leave.
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Spaniel,
Humble apologies a thousand times over - should have read it more carefully - sorry. Can't even blame post flight fatigue I'm afraid!
My sympathies that you too haven't managed all your leave either.
Winco
Humble apologies a thousand times over - should have read it more carefully - sorry. Can't even blame post flight fatigue I'm afraid!
My sympathies that you too haven't managed all your leave either.
Winco
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You d have to be made of stone not to be moved by the performance of Team GB. The feel good factor was beyond words and I too am not a fan of watching sport on tv.
"Coes folly" was a roaring success and placed GB on prime time the world over. Just take a look at the US viewing figures alone.
You could even argue that the G4S fiasco was turned to our advantage given the supportive comments made by many spectators who could witness the professionalism of our armed forces first hand.
Made me proud to be British. In fact the only negative comments I ve witnessed have been on here!
"Coes folly" was a roaring success and placed GB on prime time the world over. Just take a look at the US viewing figures alone.
You could even argue that the G4S fiasco was turned to our advantage given the supportive comments made by many spectators who could witness the professionalism of our armed forces first hand.
Made me proud to be British. In fact the only negative comments I ve witnessed have been on here!
You d have to be made of stone not to be moved by the performance of Team GB
The awful little Coe (whose only claim to fame seems to be running around in circles quite quickly) has nicely used £9,000,000,000 (count the noughts!)of taxpayer's money (mainly) to bolster his chances of further non-productive employment. Good for him? Team GB's accomplishments? Fine, if that's what floats your boat but it has done a big fat zilch for the many, many people in this country who have REAL needs and the "legacy" shows signs of being equally ineffective. National Pride??? Methinks good old Dr Samuel Johnson had it well phrased with his "Nationalism is the last refuge of the scoundrel", or similar. For me, "Bah Humbug!" does quite nicely, thank you.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Bit long in the tooth for 'wisdom' to enter the equation but, apart from basking in the reflected glory of sombody else's efforts, just what did this running and jumping jamboree ACTUALLY DO for those not attending/involved? £9,000,000,000 is rather a lot of cash (TWICE the original estimate!!) to provide a fortnight's self-congratulation for a very limited portion of the population. However, our very worthy Fourth Estate apparently felt that it was a jolly good thing so it must be so ... Non?
Nationalism is the last refuge of the scoundrel
Personally I have never understood why it should be so wrong to be a patriot and apparently nor does Dr Johnson:
A patriot is he whose publick conduct is regulated by one single motive, the love of his country; who, as an agent in parliament, has, for himself, neither hope nor fear, neither kindness nor resentment, but refers every thing to the common interest.
I think the UK did a great job, as, so it seems, does most of the rest of the world. Did we make a "profit"? Probably not, but only time will tell. Does it really matter? Again probably not. One can only hope that the legacy will be the thing that finally matters, but then again the bean counters will never be able to put a value on that.
Panem et circenses! Distract the populace with something free and a few games and they'll stay happy....
I've just spent an hour or so on the phone listening to the tales of woe coming in from people whose livelihood has been compromised by the fall off in trade which Coe's folly has inflicted upon them. Hopefully some will recover, others might well not. And I don't mean those hoteliers whose conspicuous greed actually worked against them.....
So yes, if you're happy that it was taxpayer's money well spent to have the Spice Girls standing on top of taxis and other such 'feel good' items, keep smiling. Please do. Our sportspeople did well, 'tis true - and congratulations to them. But they might have done equally well, perhaps, if the whole thing hadn't been so totally over-the-top.
And do try to spare a thought for those whose livelihoods have been so badly affected.
I've just spent an hour or so on the phone listening to the tales of woe coming in from people whose livelihood has been compromised by the fall off in trade which Coe's folly has inflicted upon them. Hopefully some will recover, others might well not. And I don't mean those hoteliers whose conspicuous greed actually worked against them.....
So yes, if you're happy that it was taxpayer's money well spent to have the Spice Girls standing on top of taxis and other such 'feel good' items, keep smiling. Please do. Our sportspeople did well, 'tis true - and congratulations to them. But they might have done equally well, perhaps, if the whole thing hadn't been so totally over-the-top.
And do try to spare a thought for those whose livelihoods have been so badly affected.
Last edited by BEagle; 14th Aug 2012 at 16:01.
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If London hadn't won the games and if Coe hadn't made such a good job of it we would be just as poor, twice as miserable and not have earned the (grudging) respect of much of the world, including the lot across the channel.
But then some people were born blooming miserable. No names, no pack drill.
But then some people were born blooming miserable. No names, no pack drill.
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Cornish Jack,
£9 Billion is an underestimate. There are items not shown in that bill. One significant costs includes the security costs. These add approximately £1 Billion (or so I am led to believe). The disruption to the military personal and to MOD plans, materiel etc. may not be included in these costs. Did someone in the army not say it will take two the forces years to recover from providing security. Then there are the cost of the police, medical care and much more.
I believe with various other factors the costs are something like £11 Billion
Then there are the BBC costs. How many millions was that? We, the tax payer get the bill.
Oh yes, something I forgot to include. There is the £766m price tag for buying the land for the Olympic Park, additional money for facilities elsewhere, and £826m of legacy projects. Accommodation costs for the Officials like Roge, security details and accommodation for foreign politicians and royalty.
Finally there is all that lost income to London and elsewhere.
Final cost? £15 Billion to £20 Billion.
What were we told it would cost when we won the Olympics bid? £3 billion.
£9 Billion is an underestimate. There are items not shown in that bill. One significant costs includes the security costs. These add approximately £1 Billion (or so I am led to believe). The disruption to the military personal and to MOD plans, materiel etc. may not be included in these costs. Did someone in the army not say it will take two the forces years to recover from providing security. Then there are the cost of the police, medical care and much more.
I believe with various other factors the costs are something like £11 Billion
Then there are the BBC costs. How many millions was that? We, the tax payer get the bill.
Oh yes, something I forgot to include. There is the £766m price tag for buying the land for the Olympic Park, additional money for facilities elsewhere, and £826m of legacy projects. Accommodation costs for the Officials like Roge, security details and accommodation for foreign politicians and royalty.
Finally there is all that lost income to London and elsewhere.
Final cost? £15 Billion to £20 Billion.
What were we told it would cost when we won the Olympics bid? £3 billion.
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I've just spent an hour or so on the phone listening to the tales of woe coming in from people whose livelihood has been compromised by the fall off in trade which Coe's folly has inflicted upon them. Hopefully some will recover, others might well not.
Besides, the decision to host the Olympics was made before this economic downturn so whats done is done. Best to enjoy it and revel in the success most of us see it to be, regardless of any opinion the tabloid press may choose to thrust on us at a later date.
