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[Jerry]

First day of Track and Field...

Men's Shot-putt... Big men these but they have to be nimble to build up some speed in that little circle. Oh... and why are so many shot-putters bearded...???

To cover their balls, Bill.

Wanted to say something about Shropshire and Industrialisation... but you beat me to it by about a minute.

Also wanted to say something about the English Contradiction, the "market-towns" and the industrialisation... and wanted to say something about the contradiction of the Games, between the modern day Corporatism and W. P. Brooke's vision of self-improvement through amateur sport... but the Ladies 10,000 metres is on, an enthralling race... worth watching... from the comfort of the nearest sofa.

An old chum stayed with us last weekend, his wife usually brings me a pressie of a box of chocs. This time she gave me a very topical book about the Games, they live in Much Wenlock. I've walked past Penny Brooke's house many times, until very recently it was the local Lloyds Bank.

[bill cobbett]

10,000m... Defending Champion, the Ethiopian lady Ms Diababa comes home first and she was class, had more than enough left for the "big kick" from 600m out and she did the last lap in 62 secs.

[bill cobbett]

First day of Track and Field...

Men's Shot-putt... Big men these but they have to be nimble to build up some speed in that little circle. Oh... and why are so many shot-putters bearded...???

To cover their balls, Bill.

Wanted to say something about Shropshire and Industrialisation... but you beat me to it by about a minute.

Also wanted to say something about the English Contradiction, the "market-towns" and the industrialisation... and wanted to say something about the contradiction of the Games, between the modern day Corporatism and W. P. Brooke's vision of self-improvement through amateur sport... but the Ladies 10,000 metres is on, an enthralling race... worth watching... from the comfort of the nearest sofa.

An old chum stayed with us last weekend, his wife usually brings me a pressie of a box of chocs. This time she gave me a very topical book about the Games, they live in Much Wenlock. I've walked past Penny Brooke's house many times, until very recently it was the local Lloyds Bank.

Jerry old bean, can you confirm something from this book please...

Is it true there was an event at the Old Games in Much Wenlock called "A Race For Old Ladies" with a prize of a pound of tea for the winner please... when you come across the ref ... if it exists.

[kimon07]

, let alone cover any relevant costs.

And Greece could afford them today? The 2004 Athens Olympics was surely a contributor to the economic problems that country suffers currently from.

Definitely. But. Greece has already spent what it had to in order to prepare or necessary facilities and infrastructure. If the games were to be held permanently in Greece, then the costs would be minimal (to simply preserve, repair and maintain existing facilities, to imrove them and maybe to extend them a bit). The cost would for the conduct of the games themselves every four years (hosting and trasnsportation of Athletes and all that would be easily covered by the contributions of the sponsors without any burden on the tax payers of Greece or any other nation.

[kimon07]

By the way. Speaking of how the modern Olympic Games have evolved, here is a very interesting report:

Why Juan Antonio's right arm is more muscular than his left

Facist Shamarank.png

Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC from 1980 until 2001, had a secret. I revealed it in a book and a television documentary in 1992 - and was awarded the Samaranch Prize for Literature! By a Swiss Judge! In the Lausanne District Court! I didn’t turn up for the ceremony - but they gave me the Prize anyway.

It was a 5-day suspended jail sentence. Samaranch and his IOC toadies had launched a criminal libel case against me. The judge ruled that never again must I say or publish the appalling lie that Samaranch was a prominent fascist during the 37-year bloody dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. If I did, it was off to a Swiss jail for me. Naturally, I ignored him.
But, thanks to those wonderful people at the IOC, I’ve had a criminal record ever since . . . for telling the truth about Samaranch’s right arm.

This picture of Samaranch, fourth from right, doing his favourite right-arm exercise was taken in 1974 at a fascist ceremony in Barcelona. The Second World War had ended nearly 30 years earlier but Samaranch loved those Nazi rituals. When this picture was taken he was a vice-president of the IOC. Six years later he became President.http://www.transparencyinsport.org/The_IOCs_Favourite_Fascist/the_iocs_favourite_fascist.html

P.S. Athletes who make racist comments are banned (and rightly so)! What a shame the rule applies for athletes only.

[bill cobbett]

The 10,000 metre race earlier this evening reminds of another contradiction in these Games.

Some of the athletes were "lapped" by the eventual winners... so are the games about "Taking Part" or about "Winning"... ??? ... after all there are some 10,000 competitors at these Games and no more than a couple of hundred of them will "win".

... and then there's the contradiction between the Universality of the Human Race at these Games and the Divisive Nationalism, the flags, the medal table etc

Wonder whether it's all got something to do with the origins of the Games...? The Old Games in Greece, W.P. Brooke's vision and how these origins were interpreted by Coubertin...?

Must do some Pheelosofising, over a pint in a pub over the weekend, to come up with a definitive theory.

[GreekIslandGirl]

By the way. Speaking of how the modern Olympic Games have evolved, here is a very interesting report:

Why Juan Antonio's right arm is more muscular than his left

Facist Shamarank.png

Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC from 1980 until 2001, had a secret. I revealed it in a book and a television documentary in 1992 - and was awarded the Samaranch Prize for Literature! By a Swiss Judge! In the Lausanne District Court! I didn’t turn up for the ceremony - but they gave me the Prize anyway.

It was a 5-day suspended jail sentence. Samaranch and his IOC toadies had launched a criminal libel case against me. The judge ruled that never again must I say or publish the appalling lie that Samaranch was a prominent fascist during the 37-year bloody dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. If I did, it was off to a Swiss jail for me. Naturally, I ignored him.
But, thanks to those wonderful people at the IOC, I’ve had a criminal record ever since . . . for telling the truth about Samaranch’s right arm.

This picture of Samaranch, fourth from right, doing his favourite right-arm exercise was taken in 1974 at a fascist ceremony in Barcelona. The Second World War had ended nearly 30 years earlier but Samaranch loved those Nazi rituals. When this picture was taken he was a vice-president of the IOC. Six years later he became President.http://www.transparencyinsport.org/The_IOCs_Favourite_Fascist/the_iocs_favourite_fascist.html

P.S. Athletes who make racist comments are banned (and rightly so)! What a shame the rule applies for athletes only.

The "Modern" Olympic games do have a taste of the nazi ethics about them. They are becoming quite nasty in the hands of some of these countries.

It's called "genetic doping" now but it's really eugenics ...

[bill cobbett]

Contradictions... contradictions...A Games for the Common Man or for the IOC Elite...???

Games for the People or Games governed by what has been called Olympic Arrogance...???

Here are some of the members of the IOC...

Ms Windsor Junior of GB
Princess Nora of Liechtenstein
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco (Olympic bobsleigh)
His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange
Prince Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait
Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein of Jordan
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of the UAE
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar
Prince Nawaf Faisal Fahd Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia.

[bill cobbett]

Hats off to the Fencing Gold Medal Winner Champion from Venezuala, Ruben Limardo, who travelled to his victory celebration in Central London on our London Tube with his friends and with the Medal, much to the delight of fellow travellers, very much the Spirit of these Games, whereas...

...the IOC members, showed a contrary side to the Games and were Chauffeured in Limousines to their £GB2000 a night suites in the Hotels of Park Lane...!!!

[kimon07]

Contradictions... contradictions...A Games for the Common Man or for the IOC Elite...???

Games to build fortunes for:

1. The IOC elite (salaries, fame, promotion of private interests, "presents" and bribes).
2. The contractors who undertake the construction of the stadiums and facilities.
3. The bankers who grant the loans to the host countries.
4. The sponsors who expect to promote their merchandise by exploiting the games, athletes, the teams etc.

If the chances for fat profits for all the above were to be minimized (as I suggested earlier above= give the games to Greece) then there is a good chance that the spirit of the games may return.