Olympic Opening Ceremony

[Aird]

I am afraid that I did not share the joy of Tony Blair at Britain being awarded the Olympics as I felt at the time that the costs would be prohibitive and that it was going to pour money into the S E of England.
I am now appalled with the country in an economic crisis that they are going to spend an ADDITIONAL £40 m on the opening ceremony and that' the government seem to happy to rubber stamp this. Just think what the 40m could do for education, health or even grass root sport.
Am I unique in taking this view ! !

[darkside lightside]

it's the government. Pissing other people's money up against a wall is what they do.

[Rooster]

Still trying to work out how you would spend 40 mill on a 2 hour opening and another 40 mill on a 2 hour closing ceremony, feckin ridiculous

[Rooster]

It covers all ceremonies including the Paralympics. Works out about £7m an hour for a worldwide event.

Some of it may even find it's way into ordinary people's pockets who will spend it locally. Rather have them pissing it up a Wall as pissing it up Wall Street or it's British equivalent.

7 mill an hour is still pretty steep, considering a fair part of it is a procession by those taking part, sounds like someones pockets get well lined in the process

[Rooster]

At what point did you think it was going to be cheap when they asked:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10338048


Look, bottom line we are not the chinese. We can't just round up 10,000 randomers from the countryside, threaten to shoot them unless they cooperate, drill them for 10 months, and get them to put on a show. We are going to show them how it's done by paying minimum wage!

What you expect? A red double decker bus, snow patrol and a few boys selling the big issue?

By the time they pay that lot Snow Patrol would be overbudget, would be Eoghan Quigg.

[rocky]

Billy Bragg would be good but I'm sure it will have to be the best of British - Take That!!!