Weekend: The Olympic Rallies
When watching the Olympics over the coming couple of weeks, it’s probably not likely that you’ll be pondering the massive spending that goes into the defence and security industry as a result of such events. Yet in both superficial and deeper senses, it now represents the primary purpose of the Games, with sport merely the disguise under which the true agenda is smuggled past the unsuspecting public.
The precedent for this phenomenon was set over 70 years ago, by the event which would go on to become the template on which all subsequent Games were based. We refer, of course, to the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Nazi Germany.
On the 13th of May 1931, the International Olympic Committee awarded the 1936 Summer Olympics to Berlin. The choice was intended to signal Germany’s return to the world community and its rehabilitation after the defeat and humiliation of World War I. However, two years after the award was made Adolf Hitler seized power, and spurred on by his Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels he set about making the games a showcase for Nazi Germany.
The intention was simple – set up the games to portray the new Germany in the best light possible. The Games were to be a place to play down plans for territorial expansion, and would be exploited to instead bedazzle foreign spectators and journalists with an image of a peaceful, tolerant Germany. The opportunity to portray an image of how the Nazis wanted to be seen, with the world watching and listening, was too good to pass up, and so political will was deployed behind the Games, with Hitler himself becoming an ardent supporter.
Plans to boycott the Games in response to the maltreatment of Jews and non-whites already apparent under the regime were discussed in the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands, but were short-lived. The outcry was more vociferous in America, but the President of the American Olympic Committee at the time, Avery Brundage, declined to back a boycott, on the now-familiar grounds that “The Olympic Games belong to the athletes and not to the politicians”. Little did he know what the Nazis had in store.
In order to make the Games a political success the Nazis needed to add some showmanship to the simple athletics meeting they still were in the 1930s, and set about concocting fake ancient rituals to give the event an air of history. Two of the most noted examples were the creation of the Olympic torch relay and the prominence of the Olympic Rings. Although a sacred flame did burn 24 hours a day at Olympia, the games were not heralded in this fashion as ancient Greeks worked by word of mouth, sending heralds – not torchbearers – running through the streets. But the imagery was powerful (and fitted with existing Nazi pageantry) and so was utilised.
Likewise, the rings were not yet a universally-recognised symbol of the Olympics, having only made their debut at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Originally designed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC, to symbolize the first five Olympics for a World Olympic Congress in Paris in 1914, they had to be abandoned at the outbreak of World War I. Having been resurrected in Antwerp, they too were drawn into the Nazi spectacle.
Leni Riefenstahl, the “Olympia” filmmaker who also chronicled Hitler’s rise to power, had the rings carved into a stone altar at the ancient Greek city of Delphi, creating the myth that they were a symbol dating back more than two millennia. Pushed by Hitler, the rings became part of modern Olympic symbolism and have been the universal emblem of the Games ever since.
To maintain control over the Nazi efforts, the Reich Press Chamber, under Joseph Goebbels’s Ministry of Propaganda, exerted strict censorship over the German press, radio, film, and publishing, issuing numerous directives regarding coverage of the Olympic Games and limiting the scope and content of reporting by German journalists. The Ministry of Propaganda also had laws amended in preparation for the arrival of Olympic spectators, with Nazi officials ordered that foreign visitors should not be subjected to the criminal strictures of the Nazi anti-homosexual laws.
“German newspapers will print at their own risk reports from the Olympics released prior to the official press report.” July 22, 1936
“Press coverage should not mention that there are two non-Aryans among the women: Helene Mayer (fencing) and Gretel Bergmann (high jump and all-around track and field competition).” July 16, 1936
“The racial point of view should not be used in any way in reporting sports results; above all Negroes should not be insensitively reported… Negroes are American citizens and must be treated with respect as Americans.” August 3, 1936
“No comments should be made regarding Helene Mayer’s non-Aryan ancestry or her expectations for a gold medal at the Olympics.” February 19, 1936
The northern section of the Olympic village, originally utilized by the Wehrmacht [German army], should not be referred to as ‘Kasernel’ (the barracks), but will hereafter be called North Section Olympic Village.” July 27, 1936
Everything was falling into place to ensure that the propaganda machine was in full swing by the time the Olympics started. “Undesirables”, including 800 Gypsies, were rounded up into detention camps, and to ensure that everything went according to plan a crude CCTV system was devised, the first of its kind.
This event marked the beginning of states using the Games to test out technologies and approaches to control their populations. The control of media, removal of dissidents, innovative use of surveillance technology and altering of laws to suit the Games’ agenda brought the Nazis the result they wanted – the New York Times reported that the Games put Germans “back in the fold of nations”, and made them “more human again”.
That success is why the modern Games are now more important as a political platform than as an opportunity for athletic achievements. Other countries have used the Games to boost their national image and feather the nests of vested interests, but it was China that took the Olympics to a new level of propaganda choreography.
In 2008 the country was facing a cultural backlash from the western world regarding the Games, with political repression, epitomised by brutality in Tibet, mass censorship of free speech and choice, and suppression of any information that cast the state in a bad light. The most pressing threat to the country’s international standing was its public perception. All of its most important strategic challenges, from sustaining economic growth to Tibet, were rooted in a connection to China’s national image.
The Beijing Games, however, helped China to portray a successful national “brand”, depicting it as an emerging global power with growing influence on the world stage and enabling it to present its positive side. It was a much-needed one – the country was renowned for a poor human rights record, the invasion of Tibet, being the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, and at the time was also supporting the Sudan government while genocide was happening in Darfur. Clearly some PR was required.
The efforts that the Chinese went to were awe-inspiring. In order to combat the image of being a large polluter, the government ordered that all commuters within the Olympic region would only be allowed to use their cars on alternate days – half the population one day, the other half the next. This had the effect of significantly cleaning up the air and presenting a far less polluted city for the games.
The effort even went as far as engaging in cloud seeding so that the event wouldn’t have any rain to spoil the effect – August is the rainy season in Beijing but the “Beijing Weather Modification Office” prepared for seven years to be sure that not a single drop would fall on the stadium during the opening ceremony.
It also emerged later that during the opening ceremony Lin Miaoke, a nine year old girl who appeared to perfectly sing China’s national anthem, mimed to a recording by another girl. The instruction to ban the real child singer, Yang Peiyi, was issued by a Politburo member as the girl was deemed not to be “cute” enough, and came on top of revelations that much of the incredible firework display beamed onto TV screens around the globe wasn’t real, but a computer animation.
The Chinese government ruthlessly seized any opportunity which could be turned to the benefit of the Games as a political tool. The Sichuan earthquake disaster of May 2008 claimed over 70,000 lives, but also bolstered the Games by diluting public opposition – Dick Pound, a senior IOC official from Canada, reportedly confirmed (on CBC News) that the earthquake changed the political and public mood of Canadians about an Olympic boycott. The earthquake featured in opening speeches, and the Chinese national team was led by Lin Hao, a nine-year old survivor of the disaster, turning a national tragedy into a winning Olympic story.
To understand the relevance of this to the London 2012 Games, we need to look at how the United Kingdom is perceived at home and abroad. At home the Scottish independence movement looms large over the Westminster coalition. The Olympics have offered the government a chance to hang the Union on a convenient peg and we can expect much repeating of images, anecdotes, symbols and beliefs in order to reinforce a “British” identity.
But the other crucial aspect of the Games with regard to the domestic audience is that during the largest austerity drive in history, when budgets are being cut and even the police are close to striking, the Olympics cannot be seen to be a waste of money.
The government is getting around this in three ways. Firstly, by attempting to hide the true cost of the Games by having certain large expenses accounted for in other budgets, such as domestic infrastructure. Secondly, by trying to convince the public that the Games will actually turn a profit once all of the increased revenues associated with them are taken into account, so it’s good for the economy. (Of course this only works if the first objective is implemented and reduces the headline figures.) And finally, by insisting that the Games will provide a long-lasting legacy, and as such should be looked at over a period of decades rather than in the immediate aftermath.
(Awkwardly, these strategies contradict and undermine each other somewhat. If the Olympics are such good value, for example, then why is the legacy being pushed so forcefully? If they’re a long-term investment, why hide the true costs in other budgets?)
Internationally, the image issues facing the UK are that it’s nearly bankrupt due to austerity, British military strength is declining and the country is no longer the innovative economic powerhouse of old. So a huge effort will be made to put on a spectacle that defies (or at least ignores) the lack of money and presents the UK as having a strong, vibrant economy, while also subtly reinforcing the impression of Great Britain’s military might.
We can illustrate the former by looking at the costly preparations. Even the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has grave doubts on the Olympic budget. At the heart of their concerns is how the original “official” security budget of £282m was allowed to double to £553m – and including the military resources drafted in at the last minute to fill the gaps left by G4S, tops £1 billion.
The PAC also criticised LOCOG (the organising committee) for agreeing the new terms of its contract with private security provider G4S. While the number of guards covered by the new contract has increased six-fold, G4S’s programme-management costs have increased nine-fold, and operational costs 20-fold, yet no negotiation was done to try and reduce the G4S profit margin as a result of the ballooning costs. This, remember, is purely the civilian security apparatus.
(Even that wasn’t enough for the USA, who declared that 500 FBI agents would be in London to assist in protecting its team.)
The total number of people involved in the security operation has been increased to 41,700, with the military originally planned to have a low-key presence, providing just small naval support off the Weymouth area near the Olympic sailing venue. Today the plan has altered so that HMS Bulwark and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay will now patrol off the town, as well as supplying specialist equipment to the Met Police operation in that area. Specialist military units such as explosives-disposal teams and sniffer-dog units will also be engaged in the operation, HMS Ocean and its helicopter fleet will be docked on the Thames and batteries of surface-to-air missiles will be positioned throughout the capital.
It’s not clear what such a move achieves, unless the MOD are expecting an attack from conventional armed forces. In that event, fighters stationed close by could provide the same support, more discreetly, and in any event any flights that are thought to be suspicious are to be diverted to Prestwick Airport to be dealt with by Strathclyde Police. (An honour that’s costing the people of Strathclyde millions, on top of the £1.2 million burden of having to host some of the game’s football matches at a half-empty Hampden. Again, these figures are not included in the official Olympics budget.)
HMS Ocean has a fleet of helicopters that can give air support if needed, but in and of itself does not add any relevant value to the defence of the Games. The helicopters could have been stationed in London at one of the many airports without attracting any attention. But this is not the point of such a deployment. Discussing the increase in security spending on the Olympics, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:
“These numbers will be in addition to the ceremonial role which the armed forces will play during the Olympics, which will showcase our armed forces to the world”.
The ostentatious military presence isn’t for the purpose of protecting the Games, but rather is simply a grandstanding piece of imperial posturing, intended to convey the image of Britain as a still-great military power.
The coalition might be building aircraft carriers with no fighter jets on them, but HMS Ocean will be made to stand in as a helicopter platform to maintain the illusion of “punching above our weight”, with the UK taxpayer picking up the tab, despite an admission from Hammond that there is no “specific” threat to the Olympics.
The focus on security will also infringe on the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens, with the police now being granted powers to enter homes to remove posters of a political nature, and peaceful demonstrators being repressed on draconian terms by the state. Such a case is that of 29-year-old Simon Moore, who committed the heinous act of protesting against a practice basketball court being built near the Olympic Park in east London. Now under a banning order, he faces a 5-year jail sentence if he ventures “within 100 yards of Olympic venues, homes of participants, officials or spectators and the route of the Olympic torch”.
Given that Mr Moore lives in the area and it’s going to be pretty difficult for him not to bump into spectators, it’s a harsh punishment for exercising his democratic right to peaceful protest. Moore told Russia Today that the legislation was being used as a pretext to curtail demonstrations against “aspects of the Games that are undemocratic or unpopular. It’s insane. I think it shows the prevailing state of consciousness in our governments and the world, which is one of fear – fear and control”.
(In a further ingenious twist, protesters who are arrested may find themselves detained for the duration of the Games, as courts will be forced to close due to the overstretched London transport system making it impossible for defendants, lawyers and court staff to get to work.)
Following the template laid down by Adolf Hitler, the London 2012 Games are being used by the UK government as anything but a celebration of sporting achievement. Instead they’re a distraction from disastrous economic policies, an aggressive military parade designed to intimidate other nations, a massive corporate annexation of public land and a testing-ground for oppressive policing tactics. Enjoy them, because you’ll be paying for them, in countless ways, for a long time to come.
Good article Scott.
Dozens of innocent people have already had ‘visits’ from the local constabulary for failing to be 100% behind ‘the games’.
Plus we’ve had many months of ‘cloud seeding’ in the UK .
Day after day of chemtrailing yet not a peep from the MSM. Weird clouds and unidentified 757’s spraying day after day.
Totally weird.
That was a very long version of it’s all a load of bollcks and bollocks to it all
cheers
jerry dammers
I am so glad I left home for work on Tuesday and won’t be back until near the end of August. I should be able to miss the worst of the hysteria.
Ahh… the peace and quite of a drilling rig off the west coast of Africa!
First class article.
Scott Minto: “Likewise, the rings were not yet a universally-recognised symbol of the Olympics, having only made their debut at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Originally designed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC, to symbolize the first five Olympics for a World Olympic Congress in Paris in 1914”
I remember being firmly schooled before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics that these rings represented the five continents. I found Scott’s alternative take, intriguing. A brief perusal of google query returns, seem to back the continents explanation however, with the following wiki entry being typical and additionally providing seemingly unchallengeable provenance.
“Upon its initial introduction, de Coubertin stated the following in the August, 1912 edition of Olympiq:
The emblem chosen to illustrate and represent the world Congress of 1914…: five intertwined rings in different colours – blue, yellow, black, green, and red – are placed on the white field of the paper. These five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism and willing to accept healthy competition.”
I wonder if Scott would provide a cite to his source information on this point. I can see that it may be possible the statements are not in serious conflict – depending upon how one interprets the meaning of, “the first five Olympics”, and, “the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism”.
The lack of real financial scrutiny in the MSM was going well until G4S, but I agree any normal government would ask for all the costs to be audited in light of it.
Not just those allowed to be seen as Olympic specific.
“Willywaving or financial accountability?” would make a great headline in the Guardian….
“These five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism”
I’d say that could easily be taken to mean “the first five places that have hosted modern Olympiads”.
As I’ve said before, it’s nothing but a massive several-billion-pound international dick-waving contest, with some sports thrown in for good measure …
Excellent article.
The Summer Olympics appear to be a bit of a national virility symbol. It is interesting that we now have a tiny protest dealt with in a quite extraordinary manner:
http://undercurrentsvideo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/olympic-protesters-arrested-for.html
We used to say, somewhat wryly, that the way the state treated asylum seekers was the way they wished to treat us all. The state is now flexing it’s muscles in a way that is, it seems to me, completely OTT. They should have taken one look at the IOC and said, “Thanks but no thanks.”
I too recall being told that the Olympic Rings were supposed to represent the five continents. It certainly seems from toodling around t’internet thingy that that is the widely embedded view. Fascinating however to discover that Leni Riefenstahl faked the evidence for an ancient source.
‘it’s nothing but a massive several-billion-pound international dick-waving contest’
We’re British, it’s what we do. However there comes a point when even viagra stops working.*
*No personal experience implied.
“In 1914 the Olympic Congress was held in Paris for the third time, returning to the Sorbonne to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Olympic movement. It was an especially festive Congress with sports demonstrations, plays, musical performances and receptions while the motif of the Olympic Rings, designed for the occasion, was unveiled.”
http://www.olympic.org/paris-1914-olympic-congress
The rings were designed to commemorate the first 5 olympics – but represented 5 continents also
So just how far away is Stratford from having martial law declared and enforced? All the pieces seem to be on the chess board just waiting to be moved into place. There is a line of argument going round that G4S were set up to fail as a convenient scapegoat.
The UK is now undeniably a vicious fascist shithole and I really don’t know what I’m going to do if the spineless Uncle Toms are scared into carrying the day for London in 2014. I do not want to live in this kleptocratic rogue state a second longer than I have to.
Maxstafford, I agree.
IF Scotland votes No in 2014, I’m oot.
Scotland will have proved to the world that it isn’t a real country, After all, what country would refuse the option of restoring true sovereignty, if given the chance?
A No vote is a national endorsement of being run by run by unelected, unaccountable politicians, in a foreign parliament.
God help Scotland if this happens. But if it does, I’ll be off. I don’t wish to be part of a society that would wilfully make a choice like this.
The five rings represent five continents? Which ones? I was taught at school there were seven continents. Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South American, Australia and Antarctica.
Obviously no peoples live in Antarctica, so I wonder which continent is excluded as being part of the Olympic world?
I wonder if they’re calling North and South America as one continent and Europe and Asia as one continent? That would leave them with five.
I suppose one could even have four rings, America, Australia, Antarctica and Afro-Eurasia.
Aye, rings are good for spinning.
KOF says:
July 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm
“The five rings represent five continents? Which ones? I was taught at school there were seven continents. Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South American, Australia and Antarctica.”
Australia is not a continent but rather, a sub-continent. Antarctic is discounted as an uninhabited region. That leaves five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.
July 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Kof: “The five rings represent five continents? Which ones? I was taught at school there were seven continents. Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South American, Australia and Antarctica.”
Australia is not a continent but rather, a sub-continent. Antarctic is discounted as an uninhabited region. That leaves five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.
There are however, seven seas.
“Australia is not a continent but rather, a sub-continent. Antarctic is discounted as an uninhabited region. That leaves five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.”
Really? When was it downgraded from a continent to a sub-continent? I’ve heard of the Indian sub-continent, which is a part of Asia. So, which continent does the sub-continent of Australia belong to?
Kof: “When was it downgraded from a continent to a sub-continent? “
Australia has never been considered a continent, though it is sometime romantically referred to as the “Island Continent”.
. . That leaves five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America – I am sure this is what de Coubertin was referring to when he spoke of five parts of the world now won over to Olympism”.
I think Australia and Antarctica are continents now, they might not have been considered continents in 1914 although I’m not sure.
On the subject of protests there were six people arrested for protesting against Dow Chemical, who are sponsoring the olympics and owns Union Carbide, the corporation who were responsible for the Bhopal disaster. Ironically they were arrested for criminal damage for spilling custard. I’m still struggling to get my head around this one….
This is an interesting digression.
Those that wish to discuss it further may enjoy this wikipedia entry which provides much evidence for whatever camp you want to be in!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent
I believe Antartica was excluded as it had the wrong sort of bipedal inhabitants.
Kof: “I’ve heard of the Indian sub-continent, which is a part of Asia. So, which continent does the sub-continent of Australia belong to? ”
None. It is sub as in “below” (the level of), rather than subordinate to. Consider: “Iain Gray of the Subway is a sub-par politician”, OR, his replacement, “Sadie McCludgey {genus: Hairy-Mary frae-ra-Gallowgatus} , is a sub-standard Labour Party apparatchik”.
Both are also subordinate to Ed Milliband in the Labour hierarchy, but that subordination does not in and of itself mean they need necessarily be substandard. Iain and Sadie are independently both subordinate AND substandard. 🙂
balgayboy 2012-07-21 15:34
Oh my goodness| It’s a Scot whose has been the problem for the total screw up of the security (G4S) of the LOG. Meanwhile the Scottish taxpayer will be paying even more for Strathclyde’s finest shoring up the London (Lord Seb Coe) and his UK Government’s incompetence. Aye “Better together” Make your own mind up when it comes to 2014
BBC Scotland online:
.
London 2012: Scots G4S Olympic security manager resigns
Extra police will be deployed when Olympic football matches are held at Hampden
A senior manager has resigned from G4S in Scotland because of the crisis over recruiting security guards for the Olympics, BBC Scotland has learned.
The duty security manager, who has not been named by G4S, held an “overview” role, looking after security at Hampden stadium and the team hotels.
G4S said the man “felt the situation was becoming intolerable”.
It comes as Strathclyde Police announced it was taking control of security at Olympic venues in Scotland.
The move came after security firm G4S could not meet its commitments.
Scotland’s largest police force confirmed last week it would deploy extra officers.
Increasingly difficult
It does not envisage troops will be needed to bolster security.
G4S has been under fire since it emerged last week that 3,500 military personnel would have to be deployed to meet the firm’s shortfall in trained security guards for the Games in London.
Earlier this week, the chief executive of G4S, Nick Buckles, said he regretted ever taking on the Olympic security contract and, under questioning from MPs, he said he could not disagree that it had become a “humiliating shambles”.
It is understood Scotland’s duty security manager left his post with immediate effect on Friday and has since been replaced.
G4S’s head of venue security in Scotland, Kenny Graham, said: “His main reason was frustration at being asked to do an extremely difficult job with very limited resources.
“From a security perspective it was becoming increasingly difficult to put a security operation in place.”
He added: “G4S did not deliver on the numbers that we required and that culminated in yesterday’s statement from Strathclyde Police that they would, with immediate effect, take primacy for the security operation at Hampden Park.”
Mr Graham said: “G4S are a massive organisation and, for whatever reason, they have failed to deliver on their contractual obligations.
“I know this has been addressed at ministerial level and hopefully, come Games time, that matter will be resolved.”
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Hi Christian,
I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to start a discussion on pedantic minutiae with my original post. I was trying to make a subtle point about how much the whole Olympics “thang” is nothing more than “spin”.
There is no hard and fast rule for deciding what is and isn’t a continent (according to wikkipedia- yeah, I know, but one uses the reference books available). I’m sure most people would regard Australia as a continent and as such there would be six continents, but there are only five rings. Either the rings represent the continents or they don’t, but as de Corbertain says, “These five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism and willing to accept healthy competition.” Wikkipedia also goes on to say these parts/continents are America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, which brings us to the same problem as well. America, one continent? I was always taught they were two continents.
It’s all very confusing this Olympics thing, see what I mean? If there’s no clear understanding of the symbols of the Olympics, then what are we to make of “Olympicism” and “healthy competition”? And before anyone asks, I have no idea what these mean, especially in today’s world.
It was only a passing stray thought when I was reading the article (very good article), that’s all. Five rings, five continents, I thought there were seven continents, kinda thought. The back and forth of tedious pedantry has been a little high in the last wee bit. I would’t like to be tarred with one of those brushes. 🙂
Anyhoo, on with the .. the… political/social/ethical hoofery-doofery whatnots.
Cheers
KOF
I agree with criticism of the expense. I think the Olympics these days is a complete waste of money.
But get away from the Olympics being there to somehow hide Scottish independence. There were similar conspiracy theories about William’s wedding last year.
If there is going to be a security incident, I’ll bet it will be anywhere except London.
With the issues with G4S, you can be sure that the Commonwealth Games organisers are doing some rapid work behind the scenes.
How about Australasia as a “continent?”
Back to the gin sundowners
Night!
There are massive Olympic rings which have been erected at great expense on the mound in Edinburgh. There are banners everywhere around Edinburgh, advertising London.
Three thoughts;
1. As there are NO olympic events being held in Edinburgh, why are the olympic rings there??
2. Edinburgh as a city makes much of its money from tourists, so why have the council paid to erect banners on all the main tourist streets, advertising London to tourists? Are there similar banners in all the main streets of London, advertising Edinburgh??
3. Is Edinburgh council daft?
Yes.
@R Louis – This previous article of mine makes clear my opinion on that situation –
http://wingsland.podgamer.com/weekend-essay-the-janus-faced-olympics/
“The promotion of the Games hasn’t endeared itself to the wider UK community outside of London either, typified by the ham-fisted attempts to bolt giant Olympic rings onto Edinburgh Castle. Exactly why the city would want to use one of its main attractions as an advertising hoarding to try to tempt people to travel to the other side of the UK during the Edinburgh Festival – the Scottish capital’s peak tourist season – was never really explained.”
@Ron – more succinct and yet curiously accurate response.
Hey Scott,
I read the article, and wholly agree. The problem is, that nobody in Edinburgh council seems to have grasped the utter stupidity of what they have done.
I cannot for the life of me, think of any other tourism dependent country/capital city in the world, which at a time of recession and when money is short, would freely choose at their own expense, to advertise the merits of a competitor capital in another country.
No wonder Boris Johnson always looks so cheery.
Better together… remember
We divert resources to London and they give those resources to bankers and high flying corporations to “keep their our way of life going”
Aaaaah…….The union dividend. Of course.
The memo from Edinburgh council must be something like;
‘Hey tourists, we know you have come to Scotland, but really we don’t want you in Edinburgh. Far, far better all round if you jump on a plane or train down to London town, as our chum Boris needs you. We’ll refund your festival tickets. Have a good one’
Un-freaking-believable.
R Louis: “
I cannot for the life of me, think of any other tourism dependent country/capital city in the world, which at a time of recession and when money is short, would freely choose at their own expense, to advertise the merits of a competitor capital in another country.”
.
Surely this statement evinces the seditious petulance of a long-ago conquered people? London is the capital city of the Imperium and its civilizing influence has always been of particular benefit to the natives of our most northern vassal province.
The farsightedness and wisdom among those loyalists who govern you, is made manifest in this symbolic swearing of fealty to that first city of the realm.
The naysayers and ne’er-do-wells who carp and whinge about the the placing of celebratory rings on Edinburgh’s “Castle”, should understand that that crumbling monument to a failed state belongs not to them but to the Imperium (administered by its servant, Historic Scotland), of which these malcontents are so fortunate to be subjects.
The beneficence and restraint of those who were instrumental in offering the Scotch this opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty and gratitude is exemplified in the follow news item broadcast on regional Scotch television.
“The Department of Culture, Media and Sport at Westminster said the reaction to the plans was “short-sighted.
A spokesperson said: “It is short-sighted and disappointing that some people cannot recognise the benefits of having the Olympic rings in Edinburgh.
“Edinburgh Castle is a spectacular, iconic building, and will provide a fantastic backdrop for the rings – not to mention provide a focal point for Games-related activities.
“London 2012 is for the whole of the UK and we know that Scotland will be right behind the likes of Sir Chris Hoy next summer, just like the whole of Britain.” ”
On pain of death, as Ming the Merciless might have said…
The reasons for ending this awful union peacefully in 2014 and getting away from Westminster madness keep mounting up.
nice use of the rings to show differences between the five (indeed americas as one) continents http://oceaniaeuropeamericasafricaasia.tumblr.com/post/26665796652
At home the Scottish independence movement looms large over the Westminster coalition.
Is this really true? didn’t thing the daily westminster coalition was concerned with this on a dily basis mind you, i don’t read the british press)
by the way you should have included this brilliant insurance company commerical
http://youtu.be/lztsyktTJlo
Liked the video, romanista! Very clever. 🙂