2012 Olympics over budget [and the very odd mascots]

Mikeybroomers · #1 22.04.2008, 10:21

Hmmm, never saw this coming...

	Quote:
	The British public have been "grossly misled" and the original estimate for the Olympic Games was "totally unrealistic", according to an influential group of MPs. The less-than-complimentary assessment levelled at the organisers of the London 2012 games was published by the Public Accounts Committee. The group of cross-party MPs monitor the way taxpayers' money is spent. "We were told it (the 2012 Olympic Games) was going to cost us £4bn and it's going to cost us £9.3bn," said the committee's chairman Edward Leigh MP. "I don't think there's any certainty that despite the huge contingency fund built into that £9bn, we're going to stick to that either." The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Olympic Delivery Authority assured the committee that the revised budget will not be exceeded. The report picks out a number of factors that led to the estimate being so wide of the mark. There was no initial contingency fund set aside. In other words, no allowance was made for the possibility of overspending. The security and policing allowance was minimal. And the government didn't take into account inflation and VAT. There are also unanswered questions as to who will pay for the legacy the games will leave. Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell responded to the report saying: "I made clear prior to our winning the bid that if we did win then we'd have to undertake a thorough cost review because at that stage there were many uncertainties." The issue now is that given such a gross miscalculation, can we trust the Government to deliver an Olympic Games on time and on budget? :: The Metropolitan Police said security for the Beijing Olympic torch relay through London cost almost £750,000.

Zug bound · #2 22.04.2008, 10:48

Me neither, it is truly astonishing

PlantHead · #3 22.04.2008, 10:53

The budget was always low and unrealistic...I think the Chinese are spending 10bn on the Olympics and I guess our figures will be about the same by the time they have finished.
The revenue return though from hosting the Olympics should be about 100bn, so I'll give an extra 5 bn here and there wihout too much complaint.

Darkphoenix · #4 22.04.2008, 10:53

How much money did they pay for that super ugly logo????

Mikeybroomers · #5 22.04.2008, 11:00

Probably £5.3bn

	Quote:	Darkphoenix
	How much money did they pay for that super ugly logo????

Darkphoenix · #6 22.04.2008, 11:05

I found it

#7 22.04.2008, 11:11

	Quote:	Darkphoenix
	How much money did they pay for that super ugly logo????

I seem to remember 400,000 squid.

A toddler could have probably come up with something better.

EDIT: found a link to confirm that:

Olympic chiefs under fire for 'puerile' logo

boyInterrupted · #8 22.04.2008, 11:42

What IS that ???!!! Is that somebody proposing on his knees or is that two snakes indulging in 69 ???!!!

Whacko!

	Quote:	Darkphoenix
	I found it

LaurenM · #9 22.04.2008, 11:46

I went to the Olympic museum last week and saw that. Thank god I wasn't the only one who thought it was ugly. You should see the mascots....even worse.

#10 22.04.2008, 11:50

	Quote:	boyInterrupted
	What IS that ???!!! Is that somebody proposing on his knees or is that two snakes indulging in 69 ???!!! Whacko!

EF already covered the subject over here.

It still looks like a blow job to me.

Darkphoenix · #11 22.04.2008, 11:57

	Quote:	boyInterrupted
	What IS that ???!!! Is that somebody proposing on his knees or is that two snakes indulging in 69 ???!!! Whacko!

	Quote:	JVC
	EF already covered the subject over here. It still looks like a blow job to me.

Well that image put an "after lunch" smile on my face. Do we dare start posting rorschach tests and see what else you all can come up with

peachy · #12 22.04.2008, 11:58

i liked this one personally

It was voted one of the 12 best submissions from the public to the BBC

#13 22.04.2008, 12:06

	Quote:	peachy
	i liked this one personally It was voted one of the 12 best submissions from the public to the BBC

That one makes me think of two people trying to grab the pot holding the money, which unfortunately is probably an accurate representation of what will happen.

peachy · #14 22.04.2008, 12:07

	Quote:	JVC
	That one makes me think of two people trying to grab the pot holding the money, which unfortunately is probably an accurate representation of what will happen.

It represents one person and they are not grabbing a pot holding money

Darkphoenix · #15 22.04.2008, 12:29

	Quote:	peachy
	It represents one person and they are not grabbing a pot holding money

Now I m confused. . . .care to elaborate?

boyInterrupted · #16 22.04.2008, 12:55

ROTFL ... Right about that! LOL .. Had it not been "post-lunch" time, this would have been fun, eh ?

	Quote:	peachy
	It represents one person and they are not grabbing a pot holding money

peachy · #17 22.04.2008, 12:59

	Quote:	Darkphoenix
	Now I m confused. . . .care to elaborate?

If I did people would Google it then blame me when they got sacked.

Darkphoenix · #18 22.04.2008, 13:06

	Quote:	peachy
	If I did people would Google it then blame me when they got sacked.

I had to try didn t I?

Flashman4 · #19 22.08.2008, 09:59

<rant>

I seriously hope that this is a joke.

As you all know, Great Britain will be hosting the next games in 2012. There will be a small exhibition / show to celebrate that very fact, in the Birds Nest stadium.

So, what can we viewers expect to see during the handover? Something that perhaps celebrates British achievements during our 100 years or so of history? A short but proud look back at perhaps our democracy? Maybe British scientists, explorers and humanitarians will be féted.

Nope. It seems (from what I have read) that ZooNation, an urban dance troupe will represent London. David Beckham will then kick a football from the top of a double decker bus accompanied by the vocal talents of X-Factor winner Leona Lewis.

Even TV sitcom writers would be hard pressed to come up with such a ludicrous idea.

</rant>

peachy · #20 22.08.2008, 10:11

	Quote:	Flashman4
	<rant> I seriously hope that this is a joke. As you all know, Great Britain will be hosting the next games in 2012. There will be a small exhibition / show to celebrate that very fact, in the Birds Nest stadium. So, what can we viewers expect to see during the handover? Something that perhaps celebrates British achievements during our 100 years or so of history? A short but proud look back at perhaps our democracy? Maybe British scientists, explorers and humanitarians will be féted. Nope. It seems (from what I have read) that ZooNation, an urban dance troupe will represent London. David Beckham will then kick a football from the top of a double decker bus accompanied by the vocal talents of X-Factor winner Leona Lewis. Even TV sitcom writers woukd be hard pressed to come up with such a ludicrous idea. </rant>

The Brits are notoriously bad at this sort of thing, there is so much red tape and bull**** it's impossible to deliver anything impressive.

The last shot we had at something impressive was setting the Thames on fire during the millennium celebrations and it didn't work, and to add insult to injury the French of all the nations in the world truly ****ed on our bonfire with their Eiffel tower spectacular.

What chance do we have of outdoing the Chinese? We could do the whole event with the worlds best CGI assistance and we'd still balls it up. To be honest it's better to have a bloke kicking a football and some bint wailing down a microphone because at least their is no delusion of grandeur, even the British can pull that off.

I've got no faith in the Olympic Javelin service either.