The Night Mail

[polybear]

21 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

I sometimes have sleepless nights worrying that the noble Olympic tradition might be sullied by the introduction of politics into the games. A terrible thought.

 It seems that a certain London Mayor wants the Olympics back in 2040 “to show the City is the undisputed sporting Capital of the World….”

🤣

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

 It seems that a certain London Mayor wants the Olympics back in 2040 “to show the City is the undisputed sporting Capital of the World….”

🤣

And it makes a considerable addition to the municipal coffers. Seriously though there are only about six countries wealthy enough and bold enough to hold the Olympics. 

[Happy Hippo]

12 minutes ago, polybear said:

 It seems that a certain London Mayor wants the Olympics back in 2040 “to show the City is the undisputed sporting Capital of the World….”

🤣

Well there is always the 2030 Commonwealth Games to bid for as well, or even 2026 if Glasgow don't get it.

[Willie Whizz]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And they’re 90% of the problem with today’s Olympics.

 

Remember the “Games Lanes” at the London Olympics?  Ostensibly so that athletes could get to their events in time (unlike in Atlanta), they were branded at the time by some wags as ZiL Lanes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZiL_lane and see the paragraph about the London Olympics lower down the page)

 

Why unelected petty bureaucrats can demand (and get) the same privileges as Heads of State is beyond me….
 

Neither FIFA or the IOC are, as they say, con mani puliti!

They may be “unelected petty bureaucrats” to you, but in their own minds they’re the people who have all the huge stress and hassle of organising such vast events, and the ones who would have to carry the can if large parts of things went toots-up. And whilst they’re getting expenses in a generous scale they’re still effectively volunteers who might feel they could be earning more by devoting the time to their ‘day job’. 
 

In those circumstances they will feel that people who cavil about a little matter like their being able to dodge the traffic queues to the venue are the ones being petty.   “If you can do this better than me, and have the experience, sporting knowledge, contacts and political clout to make it all happen, and are prepared for the risks as well as the rewards, come along and have a go!” will be their view. “But allow plenty of travelling time”. 

[jjb1970]

Professional sport (which includes the Olympics) is like sausages and the law in that it's best not to take an interest in how they're made.

[rockershovel]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Well there is always the 2030 Commonwealth Games to bid for as well, or even 2026 if Glasgow don't get it.

Few people would regard the two events as comparable, I fear. 

 

One thing I WOULD say about the last round of Olympics is that the road upgrade was genuinely useful. We also didn't get left with a derelict, useless stadium. 

[rockershovel]

Enjoying the rugby Sevens!

[jamie92208]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

There are quite a few posters on here who proudly boast of having avoided the Paris Olympic opening ceremonies.
 

I wonder if they would be so proudly absent if the ceremony had been in London for  Olympics held in Britain? 
 

I suppose it's simply the case of the posters on TNM indulging in a variation on that age old British custom of "French bashing*". Perfectly understandable for mainland Brits. But for those who make their residence in La Belle France? 
 

Zut Alors, as they might say.

 

Although not a military man myself, there is deep wisdom in the adage of "knowing what your enemy is up to" and can be applied to civilian life. Ergo, knowing what they got up to in France (and the torturous homages to various less than savoury parts of society) is very valuable Intel indeed. 

 

+ mind you "French bashing" seems to be a Europewide phenomenon. Every country in Europe at one time or another has had a "testy relationship" with France

I've no real I terest in the ceremonies, though I did find the 2012 ones very good, but will be watching some of the sport. I can also switch between UK based coverage and French based coverage which could prove interesting.  Our neighbours laugh and joke with us about football and rugby and we got some stick after England got beaten in the Euros, whuch we returned in good part. 

 

Jamie

[J. S. Bach]

My only connection with any olympic carp:

And that is only because I collect telephones.

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, Willie Whizz said:

They may be “unelected petty bureaucrats” to you, but in their own minds they’re the people who have all the huge stress and hassle of organising such vast events, and the ones who would have to carry the can if large parts of things went toots-up. And whilst they’re getting expenses in a generous scale they’re still effectively volunteers who might feel they could be earning more by devoting the time to their ‘day job’. 
 

In those circumstances they will feel that people who cavil about a little matter like their being able to dodge the traffic queues to the venue are the ones being petty.   “If you can do this better than me, and have the experience, sporting knowledge, contacts and political clout to make it all happen, and are prepared for the risks as well as the rewards, come along and have a go!” will be their view. “But allow plenty of travelling time”. 

 

3 hours ago, Willie Whizz said:

They may be “unelected petty bureaucrats” to you, but in their own minds they’re the people who have all the huge stress and hassle of organising such vast events, and the ones who would have to carry the can if large parts of things went toots-up. And whilst they’re getting expenses in a generous scale they’re still effectively volunteers who might feel they could be earning more by devoting the time to their ‘day job’. 

You make a good point, but if all the sporting scandals (FIFA, UEFA, etc) have taught us anything it’s the ones at the top who seem to be teflon coated.

 

And as for them being “volunteers” you’re having a larf, aren’t you? The people at the grass roots and those who get roped in to actually run things at the big events may be volunteers but the IOC big knobs (as with many other sporting bodies) get paid handsome salaries indeed https://www.sportandpolitics.de/ioc-directors-salaries-2024-documentation/#:~:text=The salaries of the directors,it last autumn for 2021.

 

And as the article points out where the Billions paid out by TV companies and corporate sponsors to the IOC goes is murky indeed.

[iL Dottore]

In regards to the above, I’ve just had a brilliant idea: let’s invent the sport of “International Shed Building” with @Winslow Boy as honorary president. Then I can take on the role of “Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs”, @Happy Hippo can take on the role of Executive Director, @polybear can be Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, with @PupCam, @SM42, @Dave Hunt, @bbishop, @jjb1970, @jamie92208 and others taking on other senior roles as appropriate.

 

Of course, with “International Shed Building”, being such a lucrative and important sport, it goes without saying that the ISB committee is entitled, no requires, to be flown everywhere by private jet or – if going commercial is unavoidable – in First Class. Accommodation must always be in a suite in the best 5-star hotel in those places that we have to visit to assess the suitability of their bid as a location for future ISB games.

 

Now, we have two applications from cities and countries who want to host the next International ISB Games: Dubai (the UAE) and Melbourne (Australia). Who’s available next week for a 10 day all-expenses-paid fact finding mission?

Edited July 27 by iL Dottore

[Canal Digger]

I'm available!!

[SM42]

I'll see what I can do. 

 

Can we have a venue in the motherland to look at. Saves on my travelling a bit.

I'll still claim full fare from the UK  though.

Wouldn't want to let the side down. 

 

Andy

[SM42]

We left Poznan just after 10am. Shortly after 6pm we arrived in Wizajny (no sniggerimg at the back)

 

A small village of 1000 people. 

 

There is a wedding in full swing at the hotel.

Outside our window,  beside the lake,   the bride and groom are being photographed. 

 

As the restaurant is occupied by a right old knees up, we have popped down the drive to the shop and have partaken of that staple standby; the hotel picnic, taken on the terrace with background Disco Polo mood music. 

 

Hopefully the beer will be cold soon as I need one after that drive. 

 

Unfortunately it's a bit of a railway wasteland round here. The nearest is probably Suwalki, around 30 minutes away. 

 

As there is a festival there over the weekend  that is where we will spend tomorrow  dodging showers by the look of the forecast. 

 

Later this week Mrs SM42 has booked us on a coach trip to Vilnius

 

Quite looking forward to it.

 

Never visited Lithuania before.

 

Andy

Edited July 27 by SM42

[Flying Fox 34F]

My only comments re yesterday’s opening ceremony are;

What was the relevance of the real life Smurf?

Also, my wife has just pointed out, one of the entourage to the left of the Smurf, appears to have exposed himself?????

 

As for Dacia Cars, they go on for years and years round here.  40 years plus in some cases, though they are usually Trigger’s Broom by then!

 

Paul

[polybear]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

In regards to the above, I’ve just had a brilliant idea: let’s invent the sport of “International Shed Building” with @Winslow Boy as honorary president. Then I can take on the role of “Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs”, @Happy Hippo can take on the role of Executive Director, @polybear can be Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, with @PupCam, @SM42, @Dave Hunt, @bbishop, @jjb1970, @jamie92208 and others taking on other senior roles as appropriate.

 

Of course, with “International Shed Building”, being such a lucrative and important sport, it goes without saying that the ISB committee is entitled, no requires, to be flown everywhere by private jet or – if going commercial is unavoidable – in First Class. Accommodation must always be in a suite in the best 5-star hotel in those places that we have to visit to assess the suitability of their bid as a location for future ISB games.

 

Now, we have two applications from cities and countries who want to host the next International ISP Games: Dubai (the UAE) and Melbourne (Australia). Who’s available next week for a 10 day all-expenses-paid fact finding mission?

 

Count Bear in....

[Northmoor]

50 minutes ago, polybear said:

Accommodation must always be in a suite in the best 5-star hotel in those places that we have to visit to assess the suitability of their bid as a location for future ISB games.

You do realise you'd be expected to eat 5-star hotel food every night for 10 days, or will you be asking for the children's menu?

[iL Dottore]

19 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

You do realise you'd be expected to eat 5-star hotel food every night for 10 days, or will you be asking for the children's menu?

It's a rough job and not for everyone. But I am willing to make the sacrifice of eating superb food three times a day for the great cause of promoting that fantastic Sport: International Shed Building

 

Even at the pinnacle of sporting achievement, sometimes it gets too much. Only last week did our Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (a 5 time Microshed Gold winner) have to be airlifted  from a bid assessment visit back to Blighty for emergency curly fry treatment!

[polybear]

28 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

You do realise you'd be expected to eat 5-star hotel food every night for 10 days, or will you be asking for the children's menu?

5 Star Hotel?  The customer (= Bear) is always right…

[SM42]

We are in a Discoi Polo contest. 

 

The wedding vs Disco Polo TV in our room. 

 

BTW does anyone know how to get an LG TV off factory mode. 

 

It says "press instop key with a remote control. "

 

Not a scooby here. 

 

Andy

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

In regards to the above, I’ve just had a brilliant idea: let’s invent the sport of “International Shed Building” with @Winslow Boy as honorary president. Then I can take on the role of “Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs”, @Happy Hippo can take on the role of Executive Director, @polybear can be Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, with @PupCam, @SM42, @Dave Hunt, @bbishop, @jjb1970, @jamie92208 and others taking on other senior roles as appropriate.

 

Of course, with “International Shed Building”, being such a lucrative and important sport, it goes without saying that the ISB committee is entitled, no requires, to be flown everywhere by private jet or – if going commercial is unavoidable – in First Class. Accommodation must always be in a suite in the best 5-star hotel in those places that we have to visit to assess the suitability of their bid as a location for future ISB games.

 

Now, we have two applications from cities and countries who want to host the next International ISB Games: Dubai (the UAE) and Melbourne (Australia). Who’s available next week for a 10 day all-expenses-paid fact finding mission?

When you say 'honourary' that still means I get paid doesn't it?

[Winslow Boy]

14 minutes ago, SM42 said:

We are in a Discoi Polo contest. 

 

The wedding vs Disco Polo TV in our room. 

 

BTW does anyone know how to get an LG TV off factory mode. 

 

It says "press instop key with a remote control. "

 

Not a scooby here. 

 

Andy

Just a thought but have you tried switching it off, waiting thirty seconds and then turning it back on.

[SM42]

12 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Just a thought but have you tried switching it off, waiting thirty seconds and then turning it back on.

 

Yes.

It didn't work. 

 

Still the message doesn't interfere with the typical Disco Polo music video of bikini clad young ladies dancing about. 🤩

 

Hardly notice it up there at the top of the screen. 🤪

 

Amdy

[Winslow Boy]

10 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

Yes.

It didn't work. 

 

Still the message doesn't interfere with the typical Disco Polo music video of bikini clad young ladies dancing about. 🤩

 

Hardly notice it up there at the top of the screen. 🤪

 

Amdy

Well I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help. As you say you'll just have to put with the bikini clad models. It's a hard life.

[monkeysarefun]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

There are quite a few posters on here who proudly boast of having avoided the Paris Olympic opening ceremonies.

 

 

 

 

Well if they didn't hold it at 3 in the morning I'd have watched it.

 

Frankly I'm glad its over  - I was getting tired of reading posts in ER with one hand on Google translate.