Discussion
oyster said:
Can you name one country that doesn't have big showpiece buildings or public structures that politicians thought would make the country more important?
As to the Olympics themselves, the cost to the taxpayer is less than gets spent on social security in a week. A WEEK FFS.
I'd happily much rather pay for such an enormous, prestigious event than pay for a few thousand Waynettas to drop out several more future promising footballerscriminals.
As to the Olympics themselves, the cost to the taxpayer is less than gets spent on social security in a week. A WEEK FFS.
I'd happily much rather pay for such an enormous, prestigious event than pay for a few thousand Waynettas to drop out several more future promising footballers
The cost of the Olympics is 12bn. Total annual spending on social security (of which nearly half is pensions) is about 150bn. By comparison the total transport budget is 12bn
So where is the exquisitely engineered transport system to whisk people around London?
Where's the stadiums and sports facilities that will be the envy of the world?
As for tolerance, it's nice that you as a policeman, didn't beat people up for fun. But there's a few points to consider.
1) despite our strange self perception of Britain as being a latter day Ellis Island melting pot, we don't have anything like the amount of immigrants that Spain, France or Italy have, washing up on our beaches and looking to stay.
2) We speak English, and if you're coming from Romania or Bulgaria, or for that matter Nigeria or Bangladesh there's a far better chance that you speak English than Italian, German or French. I'm sure they appreciated your tea and biscuits, but they were ultimately here to make money, and we had neither the principals to let them do it nor the spine to turn them away. So we settle for this sad middle ground of supporting them on benefits, or turning a blind eye to their studying 2 hours a week and working 60.
3) Yes, our aqueducts, railways and so forth are marvels. World firsts, and great improvements for the whole world, and in all honesty they probably do have a place in the Olympic celebrations. But it's 150 years ago. Are we still stuck in thrall to that age when Britain did, undoubtedly achieve great things? Haven't we achieved anything worthwhile in the mean time? The answer, sadly is No.
Walk past the Maidenhead bridge, and look at a town that could not have been more forunate. To be set in beautiful countryside, with four distinct seasons ideal for farming, yet within striking distance of one of the greatest cities of the world. Bequeathed with one of the master pieces of modern engineering, and then turned over to decline and ruin.
Modern Britain is not populated by the intellectual descendants of Brunel, or Telford, but by the Ottoman thugs who lived in the shadow of the parthenon without ever appreciating what it meant, and happily sold it for tea money.
Where's the stadiums and sports facilities that will be the envy of the world?
As for tolerance, it's nice that you as a policeman, didn't beat people up for fun. But there's a few points to consider.
1) despite our strange self perception of Britain as being a latter day Ellis Island melting pot, we don't have anything like the amount of immigrants that Spain, France or Italy have, washing up on our beaches and looking to stay.
2) We speak English, and if you're coming from Romania or Bulgaria, or for that matter Nigeria or Bangladesh there's a far better chance that you speak English than Italian, German or French. I'm sure they appreciated your tea and biscuits, but they were ultimately here to make money, and we had neither the principals to let them do it nor the spine to turn them away. So we settle for this sad middle ground of supporting them on benefits, or turning a blind eye to their studying 2 hours a week and working 60.
3) Yes, our aqueducts, railways and so forth are marvels. World firsts, and great improvements for the whole world, and in all honesty they probably do have a place in the Olympic celebrations. But it's 150 years ago. Are we still stuck in thrall to that age when Britain did, undoubtedly achieve great things? Haven't we achieved anything worthwhile in the mean time? The answer, sadly is No.
Walk past the Maidenhead bridge, and look at a town that could not have been more forunate. To be set in beautiful countryside, with four distinct seasons ideal for farming, yet within striking distance of one of the greatest cities of the world. Bequeathed with one of the master pieces of modern engineering, and then turned over to decline and ruin.
Modern Britain is not populated by the intellectual descendants of Brunel, or Telford, but by the Ottoman thugs who lived in the shadow of the parthenon without ever appreciating what it meant, and happily sold it for tea money.
AJS- said:
So where is the exquisitely engineered transport system to whisk people around London?
Where's the stadiums and sports facilities that will be the envy of the world?
As for tolerance, it's nice that you as a policeman, didn't beat people up for fun. But there's a few points to consider.
1) despite our strange self perception of Britain as being a latter day Ellis Island melting pot, we don't have anything like the amount of immigrants that Spain, France or Italy have, washing up on our beaches and looking to stay.
2) We speak English, and if you're coming from Romania or Bulgaria, or for that matter Nigeria or Bangladesh there's a far better chance that you speak English than Italian, German or French. I'm sure they appreciated your tea and biscuits, but they were ultimately here to make money, and we had neither the principals to let them do it nor the spine to turn them away. So we settle for this sad middle ground of supporting them on benefits, or turning a blind eye to their studying 2 hours a week and working 60.
3) Yes, our aqueducts, railways and so forth are marvels. World firsts, and great improvements for the whole world, and in all honesty they probably do have a place in the Olympic celebrations. But it's 150 years ago. Are we still stuck in thrall to that age when Britain did, undoubtedly achieve great things? Haven't we achieved anything worthwhile in the mean time? The answer, sadly is No.
Walk past the Maidenhead bridge, and look at a town that could not have been more forunate. To be set in beautiful countryside, with four distinct seasons ideal for farming, yet within striking distance of one of the greatest cities of the world. Bequeathed with one of the master pieces of modern engineering, and then turned over to decline and ruin.
Modern Britain is not populated by the intellectual descendants of Brunel, or Telford, but by the Ottoman thugs who lived in the shadow of the parthenon without ever appreciating what it meant, and happily sold it for tea money.
Very poetic. Complete bWhere's the stadiums and sports facilities that will be the envy of the world?
As for tolerance, it's nice that you as a policeman, didn't beat people up for fun. But there's a few points to consider.
1) despite our strange self perception of Britain as being a latter day Ellis Island melting pot, we don't have anything like the amount of immigrants that Spain, France or Italy have, washing up on our beaches and looking to stay.
2) We speak English, and if you're coming from Romania or Bulgaria, or for that matter Nigeria or Bangladesh there's a far better chance that you speak English than Italian, German or French. I'm sure they appreciated your tea and biscuits, but they were ultimately here to make money, and we had neither the principals to let them do it nor the spine to turn them away. So we settle for this sad middle ground of supporting them on benefits, or turning a blind eye to their studying 2 hours a week and working 60.
3) Yes, our aqueducts, railways and so forth are marvels. World firsts, and great improvements for the whole world, and in all honesty they probably do have a place in the Olympic celebrations. But it's 150 years ago. Are we still stuck in thrall to that age when Britain did, undoubtedly achieve great things? Haven't we achieved anything worthwhile in the mean time? The answer, sadly is No.
Walk past the Maidenhead bridge, and look at a town that could not have been more forunate. To be set in beautiful countryside, with four distinct seasons ideal for farming, yet within striking distance of one of the greatest cities of the world. Bequeathed with one of the master pieces of modern engineering, and then turned over to decline and ruin.
Modern Britain is not populated by the intellectual descendants of Brunel, or Telford, but by the Ottoman thugs who lived in the shadow of the parthenon without ever appreciating what it meant, and happily sold it for tea money.
ks, but very poetic. You do realise we are a match for any country when it comes to cutting edge S&T. Amateurish said:
The cost of the Olympics is 12bn. Total annual spending on social security (of which nearly half is pensions) is about 150bn. By comparison the total transport budget is 12bn
DSM2 said:
But they weren't coming here for the tea were they? They were coming because we're the only bunch stupid enough to let them stay, not to say give them money and free health care.
That's who we are.... sadly.
You miss my point. The word tolerance (or something similar) was used almost as an accusation. I was putting the other side. What would you want the police to do? Beat them up? Treat them improperly? If I was going to be arrested by a police force then I think I would choose my home country.That's who we are.... sadly.
These were foreigners, ones whom we have not a great deal of sympathy for in this country - although I assume now that their country is in the EU and many people want cheap plastering without the inconvenience of taxes adding to the total, they are quite welcome - and yet they were treated reasonably.
It was the same with Jews prior to WWII. There was consdierable resentment around the world against them. Even the USA restricted imigration at a time when the pogram was getting underway. Yet the UK inceased its 'quota'. Further, I didn't know about this until told by a Jewish refugee from the pogram living in Petticoat Towers just off Petticoat Lane. I used to drop in for tea and she more or less told me about it. Generous, tolerant UK. I mentioned it to my father, who was interested in history of the two world wars, and he just sort of nodded. It wasn't, to him, of any importance yet some western countries closed their borders to Jews. We didn't.
I had a sergeant who was Jewish. I didn't know for ages as those who did know didn't think it worth mentioning. Which it wasn't apart from to show a good side of the UK. There are many countries were the religion of his parents would have shaped his dealings with most people.
I've got Irish ancestry. It's never been a factor in my life. When the PIRA terrorists were blowing up women, children and men I was never made to feel uncomfortable (apart from by the PIRA). This tolerance lark is quite comforting.
Jimbeaux said:
Derek Smith said:
The Americans indeed do have liberty. They also imprison people without access to habeas corpus.
As a small side note; no we do not imprison Americans without access to HC. Non-citizens, only if a combatant. I was refering to Guantanamo Bay.
Also, the point about HC and the victims being non-citizens also needs clarification.
rover 623gsi said:
indeed - although you should subtract £4bn from the cost of staging the Games. £3bn from sponsorship, £0.5bn from ticket sales and £0.5bn from the sale of the Olympic Village to a housing developer. Plus £3bn is coming from the Lottery so the cost to the general taxpayer is only really about £5bn. AND that £5bn has been spent over a period of seven years, since the bid was won in 2005.
No 12bn is the cost to the taxpayer. The lottery will be refunded from land sales.I just think the entire Olympics thing is a total farce. Especially with the 'copyright' nonsense, like a shop put up five hula hoops to mimic the Olympic rings in their window recently and Trading Standards told them to take it down. This is the sort of pithy nonsense which makes the 'Games for Everyone' look hilarious and pathetic.
Games for super rich advertisers more like.
Games for super rich advertisers more like.
obob said:
I am a mild mannered, easy going gent, but there are but a handful of people in the world where even the sight of them makes me want to break their nose.
For some inexplicable reason, Chris Moyles is one of them. I am not proud of it, I cannot explain it, but I cannot help the urge to want to shut him up.
Anyway, as you were.
Fort Jefferson said:
obob said:
If you look at the background stories, they all seem to be people who do a lot for their community.
Like this bloke?
He is also one of the presenters of a television show watched by millions.
obob said:
Yes just like him. He does a lot of work for charity, helps young musicians as well as being highly successful himself. 56million record sales with the Black Eyed Peas, many millions more with his solo work and again more millions of records he has produced.
He is also one of the presenters of a television show watched by millions.
The Managing Director of Morrisons sells million of bread rolls and employs thousands of people. The bloke up the road who owns a farm sells thousands of tons of barley that goes into beer. Why can't they run with the torch?He is also one of the presenters of a television show watched by millions.
How on earth does a BBC publicity agent get to place one of their people from a crap TV show into the Olympics?
AJS- said:
Modern Britain is not populated by the intellectual descendants of Brunel, or Telford, but by the Ottoman thugs who lived in the shadow of the parthenon without ever appreciating what it meant, and happily sold it for tea money.
It's also populated by narrow minded people who ridicule a woman who has spent more than half her life volunteering for a scout group for no reason other than because she's overweight.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff