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| L.A. man Beckham with London Olympic torch |
Oh wonder of wonders! The sacred Olympic flame is now making its long journey throughout the British Isles. It's a stupendous media-marketing event with special torch tracksuits for the lucky bearers who have the opportunity to buy their shiny designer torches and then possibly place them for sale on e-bay. So it was in ancient Greece.
Sometimes the torches go out but have no fear for in the trusty back up vehicle the "mother flame" is cradled in a miner's lamp, flown to Cornwall with Princess Anne, David Beckham and a bunch of other celebrities including Roland Rat, Gordon the Gopher and Sooty. Why worry about the costly and dubious use of aviation fuel? So it was in ancient Greece.
Is it just me? But I am beginning to find all this Olympic razzmatazz rather nauseating. Don't get me wrong - I admire sports people who have the guts, the talent and the physical attributes required to arrive at the pinnacles of their particular sports - but do we need the T-shirts, the mugs, the overpriced tickets, the complimentary five star hotel rooms for members of the International Olympic Committee, corporate tickets by the score? It's all gone a bit mad. That's not how it was in ancient Greece.
If I were back in England and not lounging by the Blogland Social Club pool, I am afraid I would not venture fifty yards to see the stupid Olympic torch relay passing by. Nonetheless, I hope the London Games are a tremendous success and that the weather is kind in those weeks. Lord knows, the economic pollution that is spreading through Europe like an oil slick has left that continent in need of a "feel good" boost.
I wasn't going to say but I'll say it anyway - I am quietly fearful that something big and bad will happen during this year's Olympics in spite of the massive and hugely expensive security arrangements surrounding the games. I really hope I am wrong but there's something in the air - I can sense it - and it's not just the smell of another dying torch flame.
that's SIR David Beckham to you.... and I think the flame ceremony is just to make sure that us poor northerners don't feel too divorced from a games that we've had to cough up for as well!! As for something bad happening..... "rubber dinghy rapids bro!"
ReplyDeleteOh I do hope you are wrong YP
ReplyDeletewe all need a bit of good news at the moment...
I for one will be cheering the torch on when it passes by Trelawnyd next week
ARCTIC FOX I believe that quote comes from a film called "Four Lions". I never saw it and I am sorry to admit that I am too thick to understand its figurative implications.
ReplyDeleteEARL GRAY Will you be waving a little union jack or a dead guinea fowl?
I share your feelings about all the hype, YP and let's not forget that Greece for one is still suffering from the expense incurred in hosting the games when it was their turn. I certainly hope nothing bad happens though.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I have the same sense of dread that something is going to happen. And from experience, it'll be the one thing they haven't prepared for.
ReplyDeleteGood times, manufactured or otherwise, are all our economies have to turn to these days. We already have more goods than we need, and they're all made in
ReplyDeleteThird World countries, so the only thing left to sell is services. I'll cut your hair and you cut my lawn. You work your butt off to win an event and I'll turn you into a celebrity. Farmers are about the only people left who actually produce anything.
Ehm, I love the Olympics and all the stupid stuff we get to buy and do - sure beats ths stupid stuff we get to buy and do in "normal" years.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I'm easily pleased and can just as easily switch my mind off from worrying about the world, whenever they offer us a decent Olympics, football match, even Eurovision! Plenty of time to sort out the economic crisiss tomorrow - it won't go away!
Mister Pudding you really ought to watch it, it's a very good film!! Same goes for the rest of you.... Watch Four Lions!!
ReplyDelete