Well yesterday's blog caused a bit of a stir mainly through people getting completely the wrong end of the stick. So time to set the record straight.
It is not the sports or the athletes that I dislike about the Olympics. Indeed everyone taking part has worked hard for four years to get to this point and deserves to be supported without question.
What I dislike is the commercialism, the 'making of a fast buck' at someone else's expense, the over invasive sponsorship, the stupid rules about not being able to display the rings or say London 2012 or gold, silver and bronze. I would love to race into the middle of the stadium with a megaphone and yell 'anyone for a Burger King and a Pepsi'. The fact that you can only get into the park through a shopping center, the cost to every taxpayer in the country for something that will mostly be knocked down in a few weeks time. The way the tickets were allocated and the rip off prices, the absolutely ghastly Team GB uniforms, the way the torch relay was more about celebrity than those that actually deserved to carry it, Will.I.Am texting while running with it for instance. And finally the sheer fact that you cannot get away from it, and haven't been able to for months.
There is a lot to hate about the London Olympics but there is an awful lot more to admire and enjoy. OK, I wasn't impressed by the majority of the opening ceremony but that is just my opinion, I appreciate that others thought it was fantastic and I have no problem with that but this is my blog and if I don't like something I will say so.
Olympic Watch
The first big British disappointments came yesterday, Mark Cavendish failed to win a medal in the road race and the Murray brothers failed to get into the second round of the tennis. Andy starts his solo campaign today let's hope he has more luck.
A row is brewing over the amount of empty seats at some of the venues. Wimbledon was only half full at some points yesterday and the swimming events were also badly hit. Naturally there is a lot of ill feeling about this. People who have practically mortgaged their house and begged on bended knees for a ticket are having to sit across from row after row of empty places and wonder why tickets were so rare and expensive. So who is not turning up? Well the corporate sponsors of course. Vast amounts of free tickets were given to these corporations to keep them sweet, all I can say is that the lack of attendance fully underlines the fact that for some it is all about the profit. What is really sad is that there are so many who wanted tickets and couldn't get them. Wouldn't it be lovely if organisers sold these empty seats on the door for those who wanted to be there but were not lucky in the draw? Wimbledon does it, so why not do it now?
I watched some of the swimming yesterday and thought the pool looked wonderful, I throughly enjoyed the events I watched though was disappointed that the medals went elsewhere. I missed the mens gymnastics, damn it, because I didn't know it was on. Today I hope to catch Murray's match and Tom Daly in the diving though it might be a bit hit and miss as the Radio Times only gives very rough timings and I cannot find a schedule of play for the tennis anywhere.
Andrew is two days from the end of his holiday and has come down with a bug. Luckily he is staying with two doctors so I know he is being looked after. It appears his girlfriend had it two days ago and is now fine so with a bit of luck he will be feeling better if not great when he steps on that plane on Monday.
We have a sink! Yes it went in late yesterday afternoon but is not sealed to the wall yet, just in case it has to come out again for some reason. At least I don't have to keep dashing down to the kitchen every time I want to wash my hands now. The radiator wall is grouted and the radiator will be put back on sometime this afternoon but not connected until we are absolutely sure it doesn't have to come off again.
Lewis Hamilton is on pole and Jenson Button fourth for this afternoon's race, one of the best qualifying for Mclaren in a long time. I just hope they can translate that into the race itself and give the others a good run for their money.
Well I'm off to watch something, don't know what yet, hopefully the tennis and then early to bed. I'm collecting Andrew from the airport at half past seven tomorrow morning so have to be up early. So excited!
It is not the sports or the athletes that I dislike about the Olympics. Indeed everyone taking part has worked hard for four years to get to this point and deserves to be supported without question.
What I dislike is the commercialism, the 'making of a fast buck' at someone else's expense, the over invasive sponsorship, the stupid rules about not being able to display the rings or say London 2012 or gold, silver and bronze. I would love to race into the middle of the stadium with a megaphone and yell 'anyone for a Burger King and a Pepsi'. The fact that you can only get into the park through a shopping center, the cost to every taxpayer in the country for something that will mostly be knocked down in a few weeks time. The way the tickets were allocated and the rip off prices, the absolutely ghastly Team GB uniforms, the way the torch relay was more about celebrity than those that actually deserved to carry it, Will.I.Am texting while running with it for instance. And finally the sheer fact that you cannot get away from it, and haven't been able to for months.
There is a lot to hate about the London Olympics but there is an awful lot more to admire and enjoy. OK, I wasn't impressed by the majority of the opening ceremony but that is just my opinion, I appreciate that others thought it was fantastic and I have no problem with that but this is my blog and if I don't like something I will say so.
Olympic Watch
The first big British disappointments came yesterday, Mark Cavendish failed to win a medal in the road race and the Murray brothers failed to get into the second round of the tennis. Andy starts his solo campaign today let's hope he has more luck.
A row is brewing over the amount of empty seats at some of the venues. Wimbledon was only half full at some points yesterday and the swimming events were also badly hit. Naturally there is a lot of ill feeling about this. People who have practically mortgaged their house and begged on bended knees for a ticket are having to sit across from row after row of empty places and wonder why tickets were so rare and expensive. So who is not turning up? Well the corporate sponsors of course. Vast amounts of free tickets were given to these corporations to keep them sweet, all I can say is that the lack of attendance fully underlines the fact that for some it is all about the profit. What is really sad is that there are so many who wanted tickets and couldn't get them. Wouldn't it be lovely if organisers sold these empty seats on the door for those who wanted to be there but were not lucky in the draw? Wimbledon does it, so why not do it now?
I watched some of the swimming yesterday and thought the pool looked wonderful, I throughly enjoyed the events I watched though was disappointed that the medals went elsewhere. I missed the mens gymnastics, damn it, because I didn't know it was on. Today I hope to catch Murray's match and Tom Daly in the diving though it might be a bit hit and miss as the Radio Times only gives very rough timings and I cannot find a schedule of play for the tennis anywhere.
Andrew is two days from the end of his holiday and has come down with a bug. Luckily he is staying with two doctors so I know he is being looked after. It appears his girlfriend had it two days ago and is now fine so with a bit of luck he will be feeling better if not great when he steps on that plane on Monday.
We have a sink! Yes it went in late yesterday afternoon but is not sealed to the wall yet, just in case it has to come out again for some reason. At least I don't have to keep dashing down to the kitchen every time I want to wash my hands now. The radiator wall is grouted and the radiator will be put back on sometime this afternoon but not connected until we are absolutely sure it doesn't have to come off again.
Lewis Hamilton is on pole and Jenson Button fourth for this afternoon's race, one of the best qualifying for Mclaren in a long time. I just hope they can translate that into the race itself and give the others a good run for their money.
Well I'm off to watch something, don't know what yet, hopefully the tennis and then early to bed. I'm collecting Andrew from the airport at half past seven tomorrow morning so have to be up early. So excited!
You have to get through a shopping centre to get to the park. Thats ridiculous! Oh Dear LOL.
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