Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:29 pm  

Mintball wrote:

Irony alert!

The decision to bid for the Games was never put to the electorate.

Hang on – you're having a guess about a beneficial impact on one individual?

And as for the "eyesore" – I do hope they got rid of all the radioactive material they rather casually started uncovering.

It is hootingly funny to see some on the right suddenly coming out in favour of state spending on things.

In Greenwich, on the first weekend, stewards shepherded arriving fans away from the local market; at one point, actually putting barriers up, blocking off the road to the market. One stallholder, for instance, having paid his regular £50 for his space, actually only made £25.

I've mentioned before the case of the husband and wife catering team at the Excel – they have two vans and have been there since it opened. They have had to remove the vans and put them somewhere else, at their own cost, for the duration.

I have also mentioned the local furniture maker who was told that he could only open his workshops after 11pm each night – in an area where there are no buses etc running at those times, so most of his workforce wouldn't be able to get there. Locog didn't want "unnecessary traffic".

Then, as I think I've also mentioned, there's the cafe just off Euston Road where trade has plummeted to levels that, apparently, the owner says he has not seen since the week or so after they first opened.

These are examples I know about specifically. I suspect that I don't somehow know the only examples.

One wonders if they'll be affordable to many of the public in the area. And as I touched on (which you have chosen to ignore), it's fine to be opening swanky sports stadia when you're closing libraries at the same time – and, indeed, after successive governments have ordered and presided over, the sale of sports fields and grounds (especially those connected to schools), and the closure of sports facilities that already existed, and which local people used.

Irony!! you should read the stuff you have posted on this thread!!

To answer your points - as citizens we get to vote a government in and then we hope they deal with legislation in the correct manner. The Olympics was not put to the electorate like virtually every other government decision - so you input into the OG decision was no different to how much foreign aide we give away or the level of benefits the government decides to dole out - so don't make a fool out of yourself just because you don't agree.

I gave Brailsford as an example - not the only example - are your struggling with comprehension?

Good job they discovered the radio-active otherwise it would still be there - is that really what you wanted?

Are you seriously suggesting we should not have held the games because a burger van trader or a market stall trader has suffered two weeks of disruption!! - you are not serious? you are!!! I bet you never canvassed any of the local businesses near the park to see how they have benefitted - no would not suit your argument!!

If these games inspires some kids to get off their backsides and engage in physical activity rather than playstation activity it will be well worth every penny that has been spent.

As for libraries I struggle to understand your vex, books are cheap to buy especially second hand or download - perhaps we need virtual libraries - oh I forgot you can already download books for your local authority.

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:35 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

If these games inspires some kids to get off their backsides and engage in physical activity rather than playstation activity it will be well worth every penny that has been spent.

More likely they'll be inspired to spend even more time on their backsides trying to achieve greatness via "London 2012" or whatever the playstation game is called.

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:51 pm  

Dally wrote:

More likely they'll be inspired to spend even more time on their backsides trying to achieve greatness via "London 2012" or whatever the playstation game is called.

While drinking a coke and eating a McDonalds take away?

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:56 pm  

Him wrote:

While drinking a coke and eating a McDonalds take away?

Yes, whilst wearing Adidas track suit bottoms and trainers.

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:15 pm  

Dally wrote:

Yes, whilst wearing Adidas track suit bottoms and trainers.

Or Nike?

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:04 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

Irony!! you should read the stuff you have posted on this thread!!

To answer your points - as citizens we get to vote a government in and then we hope they deal with legislation in the correct manner. The Olympics was not put to the electorate like virtually every other government decision - so you input into the OG decision was no different to how much foreign aide we give away or the level of benefits the government decides to dole out - so don't make a fool out of yourself just because you don't agree.

I gave Brailsford as an example - not the only example - are your struggling with comprehension?

Good job they discovered the radio-active otherwise it would still be there - is that really what you wanted?

Are you seriously suggesting we should not have held the games because a burger van trader or a market stall trader has suffered two weeks of disruption!! - you are not serious? you are!!! I bet you never canvassed any of the local businesses near the park to see how they have benefitted - no would not suit your argument!!

If these games inspires some kids to get off their backsides and engage in physical activity rather than playstation activity it will be well worth every penny that has been spent.

As for libraries I struggle to understand your vex, books are cheap to buy especially second hand or download - perhaps we need virtual libraries - oh I forgot you can already download books for your local authority.

Whoosh?

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:06 pm  

Scooter Nik wrote:

Whoosh?

Is that a question? You're not sure are you?

It isn't one.

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:21 am  

Big Graeme wrote:

I doubt it will have come as a shock to them, this will have been written in their lease agreement as Excel has been a known venue for at least 5 years, were they given a chance to bid for a catering franchise there during the games? It may have been the cost of the lease during the games was too high, that is the problems a small operator faces. I know someone who runs a similar operation at Wembley, they were all given the chance to have their existing pitch before the rest went out to tender.

Why should anyone else pay to move and store their equipment?

Big Graeme wrote:

Yet you fail to answer the question of who told them they can't open...

Because I, having been told the story by tb, have not personally (yet) had the chance to interrogate him. I see no reason, however, to suggest that he is a liar.

Locog have far-reaching powers to do all manner of things – like placing the portacabins for the cleaners' accommodation, without any recourse to the local council (although that didn't stop the Daily Mail printing lies about the council having approved them).

I don't find it difficult to believe that they have said that they will not allow "unnecessary traffic" in certain areas (his apparent explanation), meaning, in effect, that some businesses are struggling to stay open. In his case, he was told he could open his workshop at 11pm, by which time there is no public transport for his staff to be able to get to work.

This entirely tallies with what I've heard about businesses, from water companies to broadband providers, being told that they can only have limited vehicles on London's roads for the duration – a point specifically suggested by a letter from Virgin saying that any call-outs would be more 'difficult'.

I did fleetingly hear, a couple of weeks ago, of someone who was simply told, along with her colleagues, that they were not to go into work for a fortnight – but I don't know the details of the case.

The point being, it is extremely unlikely that these are unique cases.

So the authority has successfully managed to drive customers away from the capital – custom that will not be made up – and it will impact particularly on small businesses.

And what is this for? Ah yes, a sports event, at which some very rich and powerful companies get an absolutely massive advertising boost, in certain situations, a trading monopoly, and even tax breaks.

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:30 am  

Sal Paradise wrote:

If these games inspires some kids to get off their backsides and engage in physical activity rather than playstation activity it will be well worth every penny that has been spent.

That's going to be seriously difficult if this bunch of sociopaths continue cutting funding to schools sports and allowing the sell-off of playing fields (directly against both parties' manifesto pledge). It's also interesting to not that following the Olympics, the host nation's sporting successes tend to reduce rather than increase.

Sal Paradise wrote:

As for libraries I struggle to understand your vex, books are cheap to buy especially second hand or download - perhaps we need virtual libraries - oh I forgot you can already download books for your local authority.

Spoken like a borderline iliterate

Re: That unmentionable sporting event - the madness continue : Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:31 am  

Sal Paradise wrote:

Irony!! you should read the stuff you have posted on this thread!!

To answer your points - as citizens we get to vote a government in and then we hope they deal with legislation in the correct manner. The Olympics was not put to the electorate like virtually every other government decision - so you input into the OG decision was no different to how much foreign aide we give away or the level of benefits the government decides to dole out - so don't make a fool out of yourself just because you don't agree.

It's 'aid', dearie.

Although it becomes clearer as to why you don't appreciate libraries.

Sal Paradise wrote:

I gave Brailsford as an example - not the only example - are your struggling with comprehension?

Then attempt to post what you actually mean. Obviously, language skills help. So you might find your local library can give you some pointers.

Sal Paradise wrote:

Are you seriously suggesting we should not have held the games because a burger van trader or a market stall trader has suffered two weeks of disruption!! - you are not serious? you are!!! I bet you never canvassed any of the local businesses near the park to see how they have benefitted - no would not suit your argument!!

You could ask them if they do courses in basic comprehension skills too. Although, given your previous, it seems that you sometimes read some words and then, without actually working out what they mean, react to what you imagine they mean. Perhaps that's what goes on in "the real world".

Sal Paradise wrote:

If these games inspires some kids to get off their backsides and engage in physical activity rather than playstation activity it will be well worth every penny that has been spent...

Well, with government continuing to sell off playing and sports fields, and with leisure and sports centres charging increasing amounts to use, that'll really help. Still, it's been bumper advertising for McDonalds and Coke.

Sal Paradise wrote:

As for libraries I struggle to understand your vex, books are cheap to buy especially second hand or download - perhaps we need virtual libraries - oh I forgot you can already download books for your local authority.

Yes. It's entirely clear why you wouldn't understand.