ofan Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 Well, the three year old I have at home doesn't even know what the Olympics are - I dare say he's more representative of his age group than Tony was at that point ;-) Maybe Tony was some sort of super baby.
FYI Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 Tony deserves an Olympic medal just for that feat alone. :-/
baron-pierreIV Posted January 4, 2014 Report Posted January 4, 2014 If 2014 is going to cost $51 billion for one city, can you just imagine what 2018 will cost? I think they will do a lot more to hide the costs of that one. I bet 2018 will, if the books will be honest, cost at least $60 billion.
runningrings Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Tony. Such toddler. So bid process. Much speculation. Wow.
Tatsh Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 50 billion dollars for Sochi 2014, a new vanity's level.
StefanMUC Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 If 2014 is going to cost $51 billion for one city, can you just imagine what 2018 will cost? I think they will do a lot more to hide the costs of that one. I bet 2018 will, if the books will be honest, cost at least $60 billion. Oh I'm sure 2018 will also earn a gold medal in terms of hiding costs/declaring money spent for it elsewhere... However, in a country the size and tense population of South Korea, the infrastructure investments linked to the Games (e.g. the fast train link from Seoul) are bound to be useful for lots of people also after the Games. There will also be white elephant venues, no doubt about it, but if the Koreans as a whole turn into a skiing crazy nation, the slopes could become quite busy there - and the people are probably wealthy enough in general to take up skiing. Apart from a very small nouveau-riche clique in Russia however, who would make the expensive, distant trip to Sochi for a bit of downhill fun?
Rob2012 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 David Cameron has said today he hasn't decided whether he's going to Sochi yet. "My schedule is not yet determined".
Tony E Loves Architecture Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 David Cameron has said today he hasn't decided whether he's going to Sochi yet. "My schedule is not yet determined". I still believe in my personal opinion, every Prime Minister of Competing Nations should attend.
alphacarter Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I think that for whatever reason Obama and Cameron won't attend, it's a very nice and subtle way of protesting Putin's rule. It's a shame that they won't be there to support their country, given that they do lead their country, but given the current political climate it's an apt response that doesn't waste the athlete's hard work or the spectator's enjoyment.
runningrings Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I still believe in my personal opinion, every Prime Minister of Competing Nations should attend. er- why? Logistical nightmare. The Olympics are big, but the domestic politics of every attending nation shouldn't be altered just because of it.
Tony E Loves Architecture Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 er- why? Logistical nightmare. The Olympics are big, but the domestic politics of every attending nation shouldn't be altered just because of it. Yes. I can see where you are coming from in that respect, but The Prime Minister is the face of the Country, and should be showing his support by being there.
ofan Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Yes. I can see where you are coming from in that respect, but The Prime Minister is the face of the Country, and should be showing his support by being there. I hope the Prime Minister of the United States goes to Sochi.
alphacarter Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I don't see how a PM being there makes that much of a difference, a single shot of them in the OC, maybe. That's it. There's not much they can do in the way of support. They can just as well send out a press release stating their support. It's a rather trivial matter.
Rob2012 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I still believe in my personal opinion, every Prime Minister of Competing Nations should attend. The trouble with this point of view is it's not always practical. If we get the weather predicted in February and parts of the UK flood, how is ot going to look if Cameron is in Russia? Similarly, every second Summer Olympics (on average) an incumbent American Predsident will be fighting an election campaign. Could you imagine the reaction if Obama was in London in August whilst Romney was campaigning in swing States? No...it should remain flexible. The Olympics are important which is why you get so many international leaders attending, but they're not the most important thing in the world. Sometimes people on this forum forget that I think!
StefanMUC Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Quite often, such politicians' visits are also trying to steal some of the athlete's popularity/success for their own agenda (elections etc), so they don't really help anyone but those politicians and cost tax payers a lot of extra money. Besides, if they want to support the athletes, make sure they have proper training conditions available at home, prior to the events.
runningrings Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Yes. I can see where you are coming from in that respect, but The Prime Minister is the face of the Country, and should be showing his support by being there. A PM under the Westminster system (UK, Aust., Canada et al. ) is not the 'face' of the country - Cameron is not Britain's head of state, he is the elected leader of the Conservative party which holds government. He actually has no obligation whatsoever to attend an international sporting event, no matter how prolific or iconic. Generally Prime Ministers from countries like Britain have tended not to be in attendance - usually it is a head of state, or a representative of. If anyone, Princess Anne has been Britain's 'face' at the Olympics. I hope the Prime Minister of the United States goes to Sochi. I thought the United States had an The Obama Family and not a British Prime Minister as its head of state? Or I could be wrong.
yoshi Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I don't think political leaders should attend. It should be ceremonial presidents in countries that have them (Ireland say) or royals/governor generals for countries that have them (UK, Spain, Canada say) or ambassadors/high profile people from countries that have neither (US for example could send its ambassador to the host country or an ex-pres, like Bill Clinton).
olympikfan Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 A co worker in Canada forward this to me. http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episodes/putins-road-to-sochi
intoronto Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I hope the Prime Minister of the United States goes to Sochi. rofl
zekekelso Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I don't think political leaders should attend. It should be ceremonial presidents in countries that have them (Ireland say) or royals/governor generals for countries that have them (UK, Spain, Canada say) or ambassadors/high profile people from countries that have neither (US for example could send its ambassador to the host country or an ex-pres, like Bill Clinton). Bah... the last thing the Olympics need are more stuffed shirt "dignitaries" / royals / governor generals / ambassadors. I wasn't the biggest fan of George W Bush's politics. But he seemed to relish the role of cheerleader-in-chief. We could send him. Canada could send Rob Ford. Boris Johnson could represent the UK, etc.
Rob2012 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Johnson, Ford and Bush together?! Surely when these three meet it signals the End of Days and the universe will finally swallow itself up defeated by a giant inverted pyramid of piffle.
Athensfan Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I still believe in my personal opinion, every Prime Minister of Competing Nations should attend. I think that's nonsense. National leaders have more to worry about than sports and it's totally reasonable that many of them focus on more pressing responsibilities instead. As for making a political statement by not attending, there are plenty of things that are far more important than Olympic Games. These leaders have the right and responsibility to make those judgment calls.
baron-pierreIV Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 I still believe in my personal opinion, every Prime Minister of Competing Nations should attend. OK, I was wrong. This proves this nut is a troll. Goes into my IGNORE list.
Tony E Loves Architecture Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 OK, I was wrong. This proves this nut is a troll. Goes into my IGNORE list. How is that being a troll? Expressing an opinion is what this website is about. It's my opinion. A troll is someone who spams or discriminates/bullies. I don't discriminate or bully. I don't spam anymore. I was getting used to it before.
baron-pierreIV Posted January 5, 2014 Report Posted January 5, 2014 Could you imagine the reaction if Obama was in London in August whilst Romney was campaigning in swing States? Oddly enough, it was Romney trying his best to turn the UK into a red state by showing off his "Olympic credentials." What a funny twist of history.
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