In message , congokid
writes

I was in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. They're building a stage or
something for the event.

It'll be a bit of a damp squib should the decision go to Paris.

I very much hope that it will - they are much better able to fund the
likely multi-billion pound debt (I see that Toronto are still paying off
the interest nearly 30 years later, while Greece is saddled with a chain
of unused facilities that nobody wants and is trying to justify breaking
EU monetary rules by claiming that Athens was virtually bankrupted by
the last Olympics).

--
Paul Terry

"Paul Terry" wrote in message
news
In message , congokid
writes

I was in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. They're building a stage or
something for the event.

It'll be a bit of a damp squib should the decision go to Paris.

I very much hope that it will - they are much better able to fund the
likely multi-billion pound debt (I see that Toronto are still paying off
the interest nearly 30 years later, while Greece is saddled with a chain
of unused facilities that nobody wants and is trying to justify breaking
EU monetary rules by claiming that Athens was virtually bankrupted by the
last Olympics).

--
Paul Terry

I think you mean Montreal - '76 games.
I think London will have some problems in coping, particularly with
transport.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia

David Bennetts wrote:
"Paul Terry" wrote in message
news
In message , congokid
writes

I was in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. They're building a stage or
something for the event.

It'll be a bit of a damp squib should the decision go to Paris.

I very much hope that it will - they are much better able to fund the
likely multi-billion pound debt (I see that Toronto are still paying off
the interest nearly 30 years later, while Greece is saddled with a chain
of unused facilities that nobody wants and is trying to justify breaking
EU monetary rules by claiming that Athens was virtually bankrupted by the
last Olympics).

--
Paul Terry

I think you mean Montreal - '76 games.
I think London will have some problems in coping, particularly with
transport.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia
I notice that Ken Livingstone, who is so anti air travel, is in
Singapore at the moment. No chance that he could have done his bit by
video link then.

Kevin

) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying
:

I notice that Ken Livingstone, who is so anti air travel, is in
Singapore at the moment. No chance that he could have done his bit by
video link then.

Ah, but that's different, because he's "one of them" not "one of us". He's
Important, so the same rules don't apply.

Adrian wrote:
) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying
:

I notice that Ken Livingstone, who is so anti air travel, is in
Singapore at the moment. No chance that he could have done his bit by
video link then.

Ah, but that's different, because he's "one of them" not "one of us". He's
Important, so the same rules don't apply.
Yes amazing, our journies aren't important but give a politician a
chance to go on a jolly and they can never say "well actually this
journey is a waste of resources and contributes unnecesarrily to co2
immisssions".
This from the guy who doesn't flush his toilet after a ****. I'd hate
to have the job of cleaning his wc pan.

Kevin

wrote:


I notice that Ken Livingstone, who is so anti air travel, is in
Singapore at the moment. No chance that he could have done his bit by
video link then.

What a video screen on wheels moving robotically around the Raffles
conference centre talking to people?

Surely he's only anti cheap or un-necessary air travel

"Stuart" wrote in message
. uk...
wrote:


I notice that Ken Livingstone, who is so anti air travel, is in
Singapore at the moment. No chance that he could have done his bit by
video link then.

What a video screen on wheels moving robotically around the Raffles
conference centre talking to people?

Surely he's only anti cheap or un-necessary air travel

Yes, encouraging air travel to the UK for the Olympics

David Bennetts wrote:
"Paul Terry" wrote in message
news
In message , congokid
writes

I was in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. They're building a stage or
something for the event.

It'll be a bit of a damp squib should the decision go to Paris.

I very much hope that it will - they are much better able to fund the
likely multi-billion pound debt (I see that Toronto are still paying off
the interest nearly 30 years later, while Greece is saddled with a chain
of unused facilities that nobody wants and is trying to justify breaking
EU monetary rules by claiming that Athens was virtually bankrupted by the
last Olympics).

--
Paul Terry

I think you mean Montreal - '76 games.
I think London will have some problems in coping, particularly with
transport.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia

I'm all in favour of the Olympics coming to London, and I very much
hope that the London bid does win - but we'll know what is to be on
wednesday.

Regarding the announcement from Singapore - it is estimated that the
announcement will be around 12.50pm UK time, and as the press release
says, there's an event at Trafalgar Square where large television
screens will show the result, as well as a similar event in Meridian
Square in Stratford, also with a large screen.

BBC London radio will be broadcasting live from Singapore, Stratford
and Trafalgar Square (on 94.9 FM).

I don't have an infinite amount of time to debate the pros & cons of
hosting the Olympics (fortunately!), but I will make three quick
points...


(1) Transport - Stratford will be served by a dedicated "Olympic
Javelin" train from St. Pancras, which will take 7 minutes to reach
Stratford via the CTRL tunnels. The transport package, which was
originally seen by the IOC as a weakness, is now increasingly said to
be seen as a strength.

See: http://www.london2012.com/en/bid/bes...mes+transport/


(2) The Montreal/Athens debt legacies - New IOC rules now demand that
cities bidding for the games have a far more detailed budget and
financial plans in place in an attempt to avoid previous problems of
overspending.

(3) The facilities and their legacy - London (and much of the UK) has
pretty poor sporting facilities (compared to equivalent countries) for
top tier athletes. There are detailed plans for what will happen to all
the facilities after the Games are over, and I'm certain that they will
not suffer from a lack of usage as has occurred on other cities. The
legacy of the sporting facilities is a real plus point (IMHO of
course!) of hosting the games.

See: http://www.london2012.com/en/bid/reg...meforsport.htm

In message , David Bennetts
writes
I think London will have some problems in coping, particularly with
transport.
I genuinely don't believe that to be the case. (Although I suspect
that *any* of the cities up for it *could* stage the games.)

--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

On Mon, 4 Jul 2005 20:31:43 +0100, Paul Terry
wrote:

In message , congokid
writes

I was in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. They're building a stage or
something for the event.

It'll be a bit of a damp squib should the decision go to Paris.

I very much hope that it will - they are much better able to fund the
likely multi-billion pound debt (I see that Toronto are still paying off
the interest nearly 30 years later,

Do you mean Montreal? That was the last Games to lose money. A lot of
things have changed since then.

while Greece is saddled with a chain of unused facilities that nobody
wants

Hence the "no white elephants" policy. There's a reason why the bid
team has been banging on about the legacy aspect.



We'll know soon enough...

--
James Farrar

September's coming soon