It's all bollocks, isn't it? They drive it from town to town in a cavalcade of motor vehicles then get it out for a quick ponce around before it's back into the car for the next trip up the motorway.
What does this have to do with anything?
Mark Steel got it right:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mark-steel/mark-steel-they-cant-license-the-olympic-spirit-7778726.html
Apparently a rail bridge in Cardiff (evidently some olympic footy is taking place there) has a Brain's beer advert on it and they want to cover it up.
Its games, its about a contest of skill and strength of one person against another in the name of his/her country, it should not be a load of corporate branding bullshit.^^^^^ :thumbsup:
re the torches, I saw an item on the French news last night about some torch bearers flogging the torches on ebay. Is that true?As extensively discussed on the other thread, the torch bearers can buy 'their' torch. It is then theirs to sell if they so wish.
One, I didn't know there were quite so many torches and, two, I didn't know the torch bearers got to keep/sell them. As one bloke said, he wanted to buy a house the money he'd get for the torch would help out! Can't say I blame him!
Wed May 23, 2012 11:14 pm
I'd just like to counter the whinging with this undeniable fact: the live stream of the torch is the greatest tv ever created, for the following reasons:
1. the weird 70s cult jumpsuits runners have to wear
2. the very low picture quality
3. the fact that 85% of those chosen to carry the torch appear to have never run before in their lives
4. the fact that an hour's live stream is 15 minutes of people jogging pathetically, to 40 minutes of transit van and road, to 5 minutes of 'live stream is temporarily unavailable'.
5. the 7 bodyguards who surround the runner;
6. the bit where the runner has to move backwards to light the torch is always accompanied by the smallish crowds shouting out amazingly British things like 'ack, he's going the wrong way.'
7. the fact, mustachioed man who pops up intermittently whenever the flame is being transported by van;
8. the number of people who approach the distant van, ask an inaudible question, are clearly told they are on camera, and then do that weird leaping-back dance to try and get off camera, before mouthing 'am I still on camera' .
1 & 2 are the reason why I spent five minutes convinced I was watching archive footage of the USSR in 1980.
Mark Steel got it right:
@charltonbrooker (https://twitter.com/charltonbrooker/status/205332042362269697): Don't want to sully the sanctity of your brand, you pricks. I mean, you're *choosy*, right?: http://bit.ly/KCaxIv (pic via @scottfish75)
(https://p.twimg.com/Atl7l4fCAAAW-tN.jpg:large)
It's all bollocks, isn't it? They drive it from town to town in a cavalcade of motor vehicles then get it out for a quick ponce around before it's back into the car for the next trip up the motorway.
What does this have to do with anything?
It was invented by Carl Diem the organiser of the Nazi Olympics of 1936, the same guy who addressed rally of the Hitler Youth in Olympic stadium in exhorting them to defend their city to the death. 2000 of the brainwashed kids promptly did so.
No, but it does mean that an awful lot of people talk, print or believe an awful lot of complete bollocks.
It's a complete crock.
It's lit from the ancient Olympic flame in Greece
Ancient as in 1928 the first the flame was re introduced to the modern Olympics.
The torch relay is a traditional part of the Olympics
It was invented by Carl Diem the organiser of the Nazi Olympics of 1936, the same guy who addressed rally of the Hitler Youth in Olympic stadium in exhorting them to defend their city to the death. 2000 of the brainwashed kids promptly did so.
The lighting ceremony? Did you see any of that hokum? Good grief, it's like we were back in Festival of Britain times, with a pompous pageant, and Greek maidens dressed in bedsheets. Of course, this ancient ceremony dates all the way back to...oooh...a couple of months ago, when someone came up with it while sitting on the bog, and scribbled some notes on a spare scrap of newspaper.I was minded of "The Wicker Man" with the virgins (OK, they were probably slappers) jumping over the fire.
You lot are all jealous because none of you have stroked an Olympic torch fresh from the hands of Lord Coe himself like wot I have.
(warning, it looks less like an Olympic torch and more like a monster pleasurator!)(click to show/hide)
Ten thousand tickets have been sold for the torch event in Hanley Park today.
Gordy, I know I'm an olympagrinch, but...Ten thousand tickets have been sold for the torch event in Hanley Park today.
Doesn't this just prove that with the right marketing, you can get people to buy absolutely anything?
I think you're all a bunch of miserable, pathetic, moaning whingers.
I think you're all a bunch of miserable, pathetic, moaning whingers.
Doesn't this just prove that with the right marketing, you can get people to buy absolutely anything?
The lighting ceremony? Did you see any of that hokum? Good grief, it's like we were back in Festival of Britain times, with a pompous pageant, and Greek maidens dressed in bedsheets. Of course, this ancient ceremony dates all the way back to...oooh...a couple of months ago, when someone came up with it while sitting on the bog, and scribbled some notes on a spare scrap of newspaper.Maidens? Maidens? Wish on, dear fellow.
I think you're all a bunch of miserable, pathetic, moaning whingers.
I love the Olympic spirit and all sorts of communal jollity. I think it's great that even in these not-the-greatest-economic-times we can splash out for Olympics and Jubilees. Gawd bless your laurel-wreathed brow, Mam! Though I do think it's a bit tough on Brenda that she has to be torched just because she's 60.
(Cadbury's latest ad campaign is 'Find a golden olympic ticket in the wrapping of one of our chocolate bars', so they are encouraging obesity in the name of a world sporting event created to celebrate the pinnacle of physical and athletic prowess.)
FWIW, here's my blog (http://oranj.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/23-may-torch-day/) about the torch relay
FWIW, here's my blog (http://oranj.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/23-may-torch-day/) about the torch relay
A friend of mine who lives in Stafford was informed she had to move her car from her own driveway as it was on the route, or face a £120 fine?? That seemed rather odd to me!
I like the competition, I despise the hypocrisy of major sponsors being McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Cadbury. (Cadbury's latest ad campaign is 'Find a golden olympic ticket in the wrapping of one of our chocolate bars',. . . and win a tour of our factory & meet its workforce of oompa-loompas . .
they are encouraging obesity in the name of a world sporting event created to celebrate the pinnacle of physical and athletic prowess.
I do wonder what nutritionists would make of that?
tell whomever to "fuck off" about moving my car with a "Bring it! If you DARE!".
One of the Oxford sections is
"Torch not visible to the public"
WTF does that mean?!?
tell whomever to "fuck off" about moving my car with a "Bring it! If you DARE!".
Typical self-centred motorist response. Tch.
d.
Quite possibly; the maps shows "transfer sections" (dashed lines) which I presumed to be the non-human powered legs. It seems odd to show a precise street-level route the van will take.One of the Oxford sections is
"Torch not visible to the public"
WTF does that mean?!?
Presumably that's a bit where it's being carried in the van.
tell whomever to "fuck off" about moving my car with a "Bring it! If you DARE!".
Typical self-centred motorist response. Tch.
d.
Not really. They were requested to remove their car from their driveway or be fined. I would probably respond the same way, 'It's my property parked on my property, so fuck-off.'
What I do find hypocritical (or at least full of conflict) are the simultaneous complaints about the commercialisation and the cost to the public. The former is lessening the latter.
I didn't say the private companies aren't profiting (and what's wrong with profit?). That's not incompatible with subsidisation.
tell whomever to "fuck off" about moving my car with a "Bring it! If you DARE!".
Typical self-centred motorist response. Tch.
d.
The companies are paying to advertise, aren't they? I hope they're not getting paid to advertise!
I'm happy to have have as much private sponsorship as possible for things that I don't want entirely funded by the taxpayer.
not sure why everybody is so surprised
The cost of the games so far is over £11bn, of which we have contributed over £9bn - and with costs still rising, we're likely to have to contribute more. Considering how much UNTAXED profit private companies stand to make from the games, I think they could have borne a larger share of the costs.
And what is the actual benefit to the British economy of hosting the games? Can we really expect to see any return on our investment?
It's no different to the idea of investing in high-speed rail or road-building. They don't pay you back directly, but they generate growth.
Ross:
You paint a rosy scene. But are there any figures for this stuff? (i shall allow Locog propaganda!) I'm sure I've read that major Games usually lose their hosts money.
(I don't see any long-term growth benefits - especially as the venues tend to sit unused. But I'm prepared to buy the extra VAT stuff etc, IF there is any evidence for it. Not sure sales of TVs alone are going to cut it ... )
"No reasonable person thinks that the direct benefits of hosting the Olympic Games or any other mega event cover the costs," concludes Andrew Rose, an economist at the Haas School of Business at the University of California in Berkeley. Rose and his colleagues combed Olympic records and economic data for evidence of benefits and produced a study titled The Olympic Effect.
"You have to have some enormous indirect benefit, and that's what we've been focusing on in our research," Rose continues. His study did not find the kind of indirect benefits Olympic boosters promote, such as increased tourism or new industries. Instead, Olympic host cities, on average, experience a 30 percent increase in international trade.
Cities simply bidding for the Olympics experience the same sustained growth in exports. Even those losing out in the Olympic bidding contest benefit.
"When a country submits a serious bid to host the Olympics," Rose says, "what they're really doing is saying that they're open for business and they're going to become internationally integrated and a serious member of the international community."
I'm impressed by how much value the French get out of PBP. The costs are pretty minimal, yet the participants are influential people in their own societies. I think that more goodwill is spread by participative, amateur events than by professional sport. Partly because those taking part have status in their communities beyond their abilities as sportsmen and women. Which means that they return as ambassadors for their hosts, rather than as the victor or the vanquished.You may well be right. It's rather sad that this all developed from being the "pinnacle" of amateur sport.
The supreme irony is that PBP developed from professional sport designed to sell newspapers, while the Olympics descends from a Corinthian ideal of the gentleman amateur. The conflict between the two in French politics is an interesting area of study, given the sports policy of the Vichy government.I'm impressed by how much value the French get out of PBP. The costs are pretty minimal, yet the participants are influential people in their own societies. I think that more goodwill is spread by participative, amateur events than by professional sport. Partly because those taking part have status in their communities beyond their abilities as sportsmen and women. Which means that they return as ambassadors for their hosts, rather than as the victor or the vanquished.You may well be right. It's rather sad that this all developed from being the "pinnacle" of amateur sport.
Judging by all the fuss & the number of police in town it would appear to have reached Liverpool :-\
We saw it on the telly last night, the local news overran half an hour to cover it. 28.5 minutes of talking about how wonderful it all looked*, as the flame came over on the <sings> Ferry 'Cross the Mersey, </sings> and dithered about being transferred between torches and 90 seconds of it being carried by a blind soldier to light a cauldron. In which time, remarkably, no one tried to nick it**...Or hand him a 4 foot dildo instead...
Mark Steel got it right:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mark-steel/mark-steel-they-cant-license-the-olympic-spirit-7778726.html
Thanks for that AndyK - Great article! :thumbsup:
I've just a look on ebay - plenty of them on there now, going for thousands rather than hundreds of thousands. Also selling well are empty Coca Cola bottles, each one described as "rare".
Oh and some really good spoofs that are worth a look!
I feel vaguely uplifted.Wowbra. The Official Moob Support of the OlympicsTM.
It wasn't even eight o'clock.
In order to arrive in London in time for the Olympic Games opening ceremony, Real Relay runners will need to travel at an average pace of 6mph (10 minutes per mile). Please do not sign up to take part in the Real Relay if you will be unable to sustain this pace for an entire stage.
And anyone can take part, just volunteer for a convenient leg. Well, as long as you're upto it:QuoteIn order to arrive in London in time for the Olympic Games opening ceremony, Real Relay runners will need to travel at an average pace of 6mph (10 minutes per mile). Please do not sign up to take part in the Real Relay if you will be unable to sustain this pace for an entire stage.
... and self-sufficiency is required, you need to choose your route, and liaise with the previous/next runner, etc ...
[Shame I can't run 10 miles at the moment :-[ ]
As it set off, and I turned to ride into work, I realised that the Minster Carillion was playing the theme from Chariots of Fire. Vangelis, on bells. ;D I think that was the best thing!
(http://peter.chesspod.com/gallery/d/16745-2/IMAG0025.jpg)Is it supposed to be leaning like that?
(http://peter.chesspod.com/gallery/d/16745-2/IMAG0025.jpg)Is it supposed to be leaning like that?
Deadly child terrorist on BMX dealt with (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18756050).
Deadly child terrorist on BMX dealt with (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18756050).
Fuckin' bonkers.
The Met's torch security team prevented him from gaining access to the torchbearer
Deadly child terrorist on BMX dealt with (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18756050).
Fuckin' bonkers.
Absolutely agree. Steroid-fuelled idiot out of control. All the kid needed was a nudge a bit further to the side that he was already on.QuoteThe Met's torch security team prevented him from gaining access to the torchbearer
I can’t see any attempt to gain access to the torchbearer.
In fact, it was hard to see, but I could hardly tell he was within the 'bubble'. Looked like the cop actually pulled him into it. :facepalm:
Looking at the better video, he did look like he was slightly turning toward the torch, possibly planning to undertake the cop in the front of shot.. But within the range of wobble expected from a bike going slowly. Certainly the tackle seems OTT, and misjudged - although I suspect the cop didn't expect the way the bike pivoted. Even so, way OTT.
Deadly child terrorist on BMX dealt with (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18756050).
...we'd like to remind people not to enter the security bubble,...I think the phrase "security bubble" sums it up.
Not sure what the kid was trying to do but I think the copper was simply acting on instinct.
On balance I'd say that the kid was going for his moment of glory...
Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight." Mother Flame WTF ? :sick:
boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/torch-relay/video/9385190/London-2012-Olympics-boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security.html)From that article:
Met police according to the article.
"The torch security team is made up of 70 unarmed officers, including 35 'runners' who may jog up to 20 miles a day alongside the torchbearers.
Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight." Mother Flame WTF ? :sick:
The Met Police, who co-ordinate the security team, said in a statement: "The Met's torch security team prevented [the boy] from gaining access to the torchbearer and the male fell off his bike.They obviously felt strongly enough like Bledlow (ie that referring to him as "a male" was an attempt to make him sound like not-a-child) to edit the Met's statement.
I noted that Lewis Hamilton got to carry the torch through Luton . Thats the same Lewis Hamilton that lives in Switzerland to avoid paying UK taxes on his earnings.
It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18782634)<sniggers> That's the leg NikW will be doing on Thursday (in the Real Relay, of course)
It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18782634)
I wonder why he was arrested?
I was hoping for a streaker at the tennis on Sunday. We don't have enough streakers these days - presumably they get done for some sort of sexcrime and put on a register now ::-)Sad, innit? Especially at cricket matches, which can often do with a bit of livening up.
I have a little video of some anonymous bloke trotting along gently with it in his hand.I assume you mean the Olympic torch ;D
boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/torch-relay/video/9385190/London-2012-Olympics-boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security.html)
Met police according to the article.
"The torch security team is made up of 70 unarmed officers, including 35 'runners' who may jog up to 20 miles a day alongside the torchbearers.
Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight." Mother Flame WTF ? :sick:
At the critical time, the bollards stepped forward, the met officer bounced off them and the relay continued past. Our friend's son was totally oblivious of the entire incident,I have just seen this.
The escorting bubble don't have the time to review every spectator along the route. They have to react at the time. Your local police had the opportunity and time to establish that the lad was clearly not a threat and to respond appropriately.
That said, the Met are not unknown for being a little on the overresponsive side.
This, sadly, is the oft-repeated myth. They do not have to react at the time.Of course they do. "We saw the event happening and carried out a full investigation which will then outline the steps we need to take to prevent it continuing" Oops, sorry , over and done.
What are the torch-bearers protecting? A thing that represents nothing of value to anyone but is an emblem of the power of the few.National Socialism, to be precise.
Do you think they've realised how much bad publicity they're getting and decided to change policy?
As for white sticks being perceived as weapons, I know a young blind person who in primary school was not permitted to take their white stick into the playground because they might use it as a weapon. I am surprised the parents stood for it cos if that was my kid SEVERE shitstormage would have happened as what my mum did when primary teachers messed with my hearing aids. No sense of training the children that the cane was a mobility aid and not to be fucked with. Nope "weapon" "ban it".School paranoia and arse covering, a la nuts and stuff. A white cane would probably make a pretty good weapon in the right hands. I've been hit by one (accidentally) and it wasn't pain free. But schools are full of potential weapons; pencils, footballs, big heavy books...
I blame Thatcher.
That's certainly true. The Strike definitely changed in tone once the Met were bussed in.I thought it was the Army in police uniforms?
That's certainly true. The Strike definitely changed in tone once the Met were bussed in.I thought it was the Army in police uniforms?
...I have a vision of a LOCOG wonk arguing with a farmer, with the inevitable "Get orf moi laaaaand" followed by sound of a shotgun being cocked.No-one's told these people about "Viz", have they?
Not enough time to think? It only needs one second to work out a reasonable course of action. They had this second before they reached the boy on the bike. Same for the disabled person. Let's not make excuses for them. Zero thought and zero tolerance makes them seem inhuman. Machines don't get respect, people do. So the police forces in question can expect a growing lack of respect.The bike incident was shown on national TV news in Japan. Mrs B's mother saw it.Do you think they've realised how much bad publicity they're getting and decided to change policy?
No, it's not had thaaat much publicity yet. What's needed is a stuntman with white stick on the route to deliberately slightly get in the way and tumble spectacularly when he gets barged - with the whole thing videod and given to television news.
That's certainly true. The Strike definitely changed in tone once the Met were bussed in.
That's certainly true. The Strike definitely changed in tone once the Met were bussed in.I thought it was the Army in police uniforms?
As for white sticks being perceived as weapons, I know a young blind person who in primary school was not permitted to take their white stick into the playground because they might use it as a weapon. I am surprised the parents stood for it cos if that was my kid SEVERE shitstormage would have happened as what my mum did when primary teachers messed with my hearing aids. No sense of training the children that the cane was a mobility aid and not to be fucked with. Nope "weapon" "ban it".School paranoia and arse covering, a la nuts and stuff. A white cane would probably make a pretty good weapon in the right hands. I've been hit by one (accidentally) and it wasn't pain free. But schools are full of potential weapons; pencils, footballs, big heavy books...
I did suggest Matt entered into the true Olympic spirit and took on this important roll as we ran the baton into Henley in the rain yesterday - he made some feeble excuse about the weather so missed a chance to get the Real Relay in the news again ::-)It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18782634)<sniggers> That's the leg NikW will be doing on Thursday (in the Real Relay, of course)
We got the 'alternative'Signed. But why when I entered my email, which ends .co.uk, did it ask me "are you sure you don't mean ---.com?" ?torchbaton to Henley last night (in less than ideal conditions, hey-ho!). It's all going great, but of course LOCog don't want it in their stadium. Please sign this thing if you have 2 minutes:
http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/allow-the-real-relay-to-finish-inside-the-olympic-stadium?time=1342127231
I thought it was in this thread that someone had said the Torch relay was initiated for the 1936 Games and therefore ultimately represented National Socialism. I can't find that now, but regardless, I'm going to say that's irrelevant to the Torch's significance today. No, what it represents today is National Corporatism.
It was, but back then the nations were in charge of the corporations.I thought it was in this thread that someone had said the Torch relay was initiated for the 1936 Games and therefore ultimately represented National Socialism. I can't find that now, but regardless, I'm going to say that's irrelevant to the Torch's significance today. No, what it represents today is National Corporatism.
that is also a feature of Fascism.