Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 2:55 pm  

Mintball wrote: So, as a London taxpayer, precisely what bang am I getting for my buck? All our taxes are contributing to the games, not just those living in London. Unless you're paying vastly increased council tax? And as a Londoner, you're left with an Olympic Park / Stadium and a much improved transport infrastructure. That's just two things, there are plenty other benefits to Londoners that the people in the rest of the UK won't have. Mintball wrote: And no: increased profits for already massively profitably corporations doesn't count. Small businesses are missing out or set to. My post wasn't referring to the profits of any sponsors or any other third parties, but profits made from hosting the games itself.

Mintball wrote: So, as a London taxpayer, precisely what bang am I getting for my buck? All our taxes are contributing to the games, not just those living in London. Unless you're paying vastly increased council tax? And as a Londoner, you're left with an Olympic Park / Stadium and a much improved transport infrastructure. That's just two things, there are plenty other benefits to Londoners that the people in the rest of the UK won't have. Mintball wrote: And no: increased profits for already massively profitably corporations doesn't count. Small businesses are missing out or set to. My post wasn't referring to the profits of any sponsors or any other third parties, but profits made from hosting the games itself.

Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 3:08 pm  

Standee wrote:

but that's the rub, it's far too easy to hate big business (for the sake of it) and lamping them for everything they do, people bemoan McDonalds but never mention the millions of pounds they invest with the FA (UK alone), people hate TESCO despite them employing tens of thousands of people. It always makes me laugh when some peope on here lambast business, the very business that they rely on for their pension.

Capitalism works, communism doesn't.

As I understand it, McDonald's are the sole vendors of food (I use the term loosely) to the games audiences.
Credit card payments can only be made via Visa.
Only Coca Cola will be allowed to sell drinks within 100m of the Olympic Park.

And, wait for it, there's actually an Olympic-branded Monopoly Board Game out now.
The irony is stunning.

Capitalism works but it needs keeping in check.

Your comment about Tesco and pensions is so vacuous I don't know why I am bothering to reply to it ... but quite honestly, when a firm shifts its profits around to avoid tax as much as Tesco does, which section of society gets its pension boosted?
Not many of those on the checkouts or stacking shelves at any rate.

Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 3:27 pm  

Barnabus wrote:

And as a Londoner, you're left with an Olympic Park / Stadium and a much improved transport infrastructure.

I'm sure West Ham fans will be happy.
The same transport infrastructure which was already one of the best in the world?

Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 3:33 pm  

Standee wrote:

of course Beryl and Betty weren't going to be able to give away a few cushions, they were pretty daft to believe they would be.

Either you haven't bothered reading the linked-to article, have chosen to completely ignore what was written or are talking out of your arse. If Beryl & Betty really weren't to be allowed to offer their cushion covers to the competing athletes, WTF were they asked to produce them in the first place?

Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 3:33 pm  

Horatio Yed wrote:

I'm sure West Ham fans will be happy.
The same transport infrastructure which was already one of the best in the world?

They are just two of the benefits Londoners are getting out of the games, yes (which was in response to Mintball's original question).

Re: Olympics : Mon May 21, 2012 3:36 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

Either you haven't bothered reading the linked-to article, have chosen to completely ignore what was written or are talking out of your arse. If Beryl & Betty really weren't to be allowed to offer their cushion covers to the competing athletes, WTF were they asked to produce them in the first place?

I have no idea why they were asked in the first place, some kind of misplaced Jam and Jeruslalem initiative by the sounds of it.

Re: Olympics : Sat May 26, 2012 2:28 pm  

In more news from the frontline, a local company we're doing a bit of business with has been told that it has to close down during the sporting event we're not allowed to mention by the cretinous, tin pot jobsworthies running the whole shebang in aid of big business.

The business in question has workshops in Hackney near the main site – and they've been told they can't open in the day. They could possibly be allowed to start work at 11pm and finish when there is no public transport available to take the staff home ...

Along with Twitter having been pathetically cowed into deleting an account from people protesting about this farce, it is the perfect illustration of what this is all about,

Re: Olympics : Sat May 26, 2012 5:54 pm  

Mintball wrote:

In more news from the frontline, a local company we're doing a bit of business with has been told that it has to close down during the sporting event we're not allowed to mention by the cretinous, tin pot jobsworthies running the whole shebang in aid of big business.

The business in question has workshops in Hackney near the main site – and they've been told they can't open in the day. They could possibly be allowed to start work at 11pm and finish when there is no public transport available to take the staff home ...

Along with Twitter having been pathetically cowed into deleting an account from people protesting about this farce, it is the perfect illustration of what this is all about,

Why can't they open, under what law and who has told them?

Re: Olympics : Sat May 26, 2012 6:10 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

Why can't they open, under what law and who has told them?

A bloke we're having make us some furniture, whose workshops are at the Wick. His showroom is on Hackney Road. That can open. tb talked to him this morning; all I know is "they" told him he can't open his workshops during the day. If I see him again, I'll be asking for more details.

Apparently, 'we're not having any unnecessary traffic in that area'.

Re: Olympics : Sat May 26, 2012 7:41 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

But people can't complain about the irony of purveyors of fast food products sponsoring major sports events? This is their attempt to detoxify their brand the same way tobacco brands and drink brands tried before them, if you can't see that then you are not looking.

London 2012 had no say in these headline sponsors, doesn't make it right though.

No people hate Tesco because of their employment practices, the way the treat suppliers and there constant mendacious price fiddling.

Remind me, what state is world finance in at the moment?

How would you describe China's rise to prominence since it adopted a capitalist approach? don't want to wee on your bonfire