I think the opening ceremony should consist of a short speech by Boris, a turn by The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band and a fly-past of Spitfires. Maybe Stephen Fry reading John Betjeman. Then an early lunch.

I think wanting the Olympics (like the Chinese did so much) is a bit like Ireland being so proud to host the Eurovision song contest in 1993 and 94.
After winning it three years in a row (and then hosting the next years competition as winners) most of the population had twigged that it was actually a spoof contest, and by that time, the country had grown up somewhat and realised that the joke was on whoever took it too seriously.

To me the olympics is the same.
Just remember the opening ceremony in Bejing ….. completely camp.
It was the same with South Korea in 1988. They were mad for it.

The best thing about the last olympics (IMO) was Boris Johnson and his ''Wiff Waff'' speech.
''Wiff Waff's coming home'' he said. That was funny.

Thank you for the link, though can't check as I can't access Youtube at moment.

Most people are saying that predictions about recouping all the money by selling land/buildings are gross overestimates.

The project will come in under the £9.5bn budget. I agree that's alot of money but hey no government has ever invested any cash in East London – Ken correctly used the lure of the Olympics to actually get gov't to spend some money in east london. Stratford will be THE best connected station in all of London. The site was previously a mishmash of unproductive and illegal uses (although I must admit to enjoying the squat parties there). After the Games the site will offer new homes (including a good percentage of social/affordable) and jobs (which will be available for local people) You only get that because of the Olympics. Think about what would be happening in East London if there was not the Olympics.

Yes, the Olympics will undoubtably benefit East London. For billions of pounds, I would be shocked if they didn't. But what about all the charities who are having their funding cut/removed to pay for elite athletes and hangers-on? How do they benefit from the Olympics?

I didn't say the Olympics were to blame for the sale of swimming pools. Rather that money spent on sport should go on providing basic facilities for the masses, not the elite.

If your projections show that so much money will be recovered after the games by property sales, why aren't private businesses investing more in the Olympics?
Andy:

Thanks. Now you know how the English feel (just kidding).

Halima:

How does hosting the Olympics make London more globally competitive? Why not spend £3 billion improving public transport, give the same amount to various charities and return the rest to the taxpayers?

''Brand Beckham'' or Manchester United, or Wembley or the London olympics.

I prefer things the way they were before. For example, IMO, the Premier League has ruined English football. Everything about it sucks. From it's all seater stadiums and high ticket prices (to feed the wages of the international mercinaries who dominate the league), to the stewarding and control, and drinking and smoking bans at matches.

Corporate control. It might bring in money from Asia, where images of the likes of Beckham and Ryan Giggs are everywhere … (well in KL anyway), but it reminds me of the 1975 (classic) film Rollerball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV9ysMZamxs

We can never be famous enough! Cities like Paris, New York and London can't just stay competitive based on previous fame – cities have to re-invent, re-brand to stay competitive in today's globalised world. Prestige and profile are not guaranteed from current/past efforts, the competition between cities today is more aggressive, sharper, and cities need to be outperforming in niche sectors like sports, arts, and creativity.

Such regeneration doesn't trickle down to to local neighbourhoods as effectively as it might – so we might focus on getting better accountability for our public funds, improving the decision-making for disbursing such funds, and ultimately ensuring such local economies are revived in sustainable ways and citizenships have a proper stake in the regenerating their towns and cities.

It's difficult I know, but not impossible. Not with all the clever people and best global talent we have in the UK.

Sorry at having upset you with the revelation.

Tim Martin, you say that it will leave a wonderful park and shopping center and sports facilities. Large landscaped parks can be pretty boring (especially if they are festooned with security cameras and security staff policing them in the way that the Canary Wharf development is policed).
http://ricecakeconfessional.files.wordpress.com…

Shopping center? Do we really need more? Shopping centers are dull places IMO.
And as for sports facilities. Well OK. But is attending these centers going to be cheap and accessible for local young people?
And I've never really liked 50 meter swimming pools. They seem so big and impersonal.
We should be doing more to save and upgrade existing neighbourhood pools that are closing at quite a rate.
As for a velodrome cycling track. Who the heck's going to use that?

As for these jobs that will come with the ''legacy''? Well lots of boring jobs in security for sure.
And cutting the grass of the parks and all that necessary maintainence work that will go with running these places.
I bet the teenagers of the East End cant wait till these jobs become available.

I bet when it's all done, this area will lack vibrancy. It will feel sterile, like the revamped Millennium Dome (O2 Arena) and Wembley stadium.
These are dull places and rip off the people coming to their events by charging high prices.

OK, I won't. I'll try to avoid pointing out that you are a simplistic bigot. But you are.

When you are pissed at points of the compass, it's time to take stock.

Aye pet.