Olympic farrago
 

Was I the only person in the country who found the British performance at the handover ceremony in Beijing a bit of a toe-curler?

Watch it here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QprSn_D31U0

(Skip ahead to 6:40 for the worst bits - If you can bear to. )

Now it seems that there is more embarassment to shoulder.

At a truly staggering cost of £27 million, it has been revealed that the opening ceremony will feature a tribute to the NHS, for God's sake, involving hundreds of dancing nurses.

Considering that these precious 'Angels' do little these days but complain about how short staffed, underpaid and overworked they are, one is amazed that they are able to find the time. Considering further that quite a lot of them are hopelessy overweight one wonders what sort of message the organisers are trying to send?

Reading what the director, Danny Boyle had to say in today's Telegraph...

London 2012 Olympics: Shakespeare theme to lead 'Isles of Wonder' Olympic opening ceremony - Telegraph

This is shaping up to be a cringe-fest of epic proportions.

Can this possibly get any worse?:o

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I don't think that before the 1984 games in Los Angeles, there was all this big to do at the opening ceremony.

The Olympics are a sporting event, not an international jazz hands festival.

London, 1948.

Parade of competitors.

Welcome speech.

Light Olympic flame.

Release a few war ravaged pigeons.

Just get on with the thing.

We should look back to how hosted the games so well in '48, not try and compete with a costly Chinese freak show.

LONDON 1948 Lighting of the Olympic Cauldron (Amateur Footage) - YouTube

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I have just watched the rehearsal of the nurses dance routine on tv.
It was like de-ja-vu of Broadway Accy 2011.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Though it was meant to be an "austerity" Olympics given the recession -along the lines of the last London Olympics just after WW2. It all cost £600,000 back then - and was all very frugal (see account in link).
The First Post War Olympics - 1948 London - Olympics30.com

Apparently back then all the athletes got a free tin of Ovaltine!

For some reason I can't watch A-b's film in Italy, not authorised, perhaps it's 'cos it's so bad !

Re: Olympic farrago
 

That was a bit bloody extravagant:rolleyes:

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Had to supply their own hot milk though Jay! And bring their own cutlery if they wanted to eat.;)

Re: Olympic farrago
 

It would have been so much classier, in a British sort of way, to keep things simple. As well as much more fitting, in the middle of a world recession.

Welcome parade of competitors of all nations, then just let the games begin.

It doesn't need all this amateur theatrical brouhaha.

We don't do it very well.

Plus we could have spent the enormous amount it's costing, in a thousand more worthwhile ways.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Hear, hear! Well said - after all it is meant to be about the best athletes in the world, that's the real "show".

Re: Olympic farrago
 

So just what have you got against nurses, A-B?

I may be biased, but having just spent two weeks in hospital, I do not recognise your description. All the nurses I encountered, and other staff as well such as porters, domestics and theatre staff, were caring and considerate even though I would say the nurses could have done with more staff at times. They certainly all worked hard and did not complain, at least not in my hearing.

Looking at NHS pay scales I would say the days of poor pay are gone and as for your comment about being overweight, I really don't know where you are coming from. I only saw one obese person on the staff while I was there, plenty among the visitors:rolleyes:, and he I think was a doctor, in scrubs, and so fat he could not sit in a chair with arms but had to perch on the edge of the seat.

I wonder what Marg P will have to say about your comments?

PS talking about obesity, what about that executive producer in the Telegraph photo?

Re: Olympic farrago
 

My best mates partner is a cardiac nurse, she works long unsociable hours in a understaffed and under funded ward.To hear you say that the nurses do little and are obese really irks , the majority of nurses and docs do a good job in difficult conditions where money and staffing levels are low, i would like to know what you base your assumptions on, tarring all nurses with a dirty brush as you have done.:confused:

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Never bother watching the crap, aint gonna start now.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

We will be left with some expensive 'art'
..rich pickings for pikxies

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Perhaps they could have thousands of unemployed, dancing with bowls in their hands singing please sir can we have some more. Formation cap doffing and forlock tugging. Maybe a troup of ceremonial bankers (phew spelt it right) collecting massive bonus cheques. The possibilities are endless. :D:D:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

A flash loot.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Flash B'stards ! :(

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I don't think anyone does it well, least of all our moronic neighbours, which is surprising as they have had lots of practice. For the ultimate in tacky, watch the half-time show at the Super Bowl.:mad: But it seems as if each Olympics has to achieve a lower standard at twice the expense. Maybe the organizers get all their ideas from Wrestlemania.

One could also blame the krauts and their Aryan Expo '36. :D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

In this age of digital TV should not the Olympics have Its own channel then I don't have to be bored out of my mind.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

The French actually do it well. As was seen at the World Cup.

But they're brilliant at pulling off 'all show, and no substance'.

It's how they are.

French women look very chic, but drenching yourself in eau de toilette, is no excuse for only giving your pits and your tuppence, a quick wipe over with the flannel once a month.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Maybe the Frogs invented the aqua-lung so that one could make love to the ripe ones without gagging.:eek:

But it must be a difficult task to come up with something that is quintessentially British. Not only is it a country with a long, rich history, it is also a place of more regional differences than a country ten times its size. In Canada, all we would need would be a few guys in touques speaking French, some fishermen, guys in cowboy hats, some First Nations people, and a bunch of dope smoking hippies from the Queen Charlottes, and you have it all summed up.;):D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Apparently, despite being in a state of severe economic austerity we can afford to pay the head of RBS an enormous and unjustified bonus as well as hosting a money's no limits olympic games - I despair!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

We used to call that Fur Coat and no knickers Rindi:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Opening ceremonies aside, I have one major concern about the Games.

With the amount of people coming here from other countries for the Games, how will the NHS cope with the increased amount of people who will surely become ill during their visit.
Are the powers that be going to check that all of these visitors have the relevant travel health insurance in order to access care here???
This is a health tourism opportunity if ever there was one and, of course, all of our nurses are just too fat and lazy to cope with this extra workload :rolleyes::mad:

Re: Olympic farrago
 

What with the inflation and budget cuts in many EU countries I think they won't get as many visitors as the xpected.

I read recently that in Spain few tickets have been sold.

I think we are heading for a great big flop on our hands.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I tried to amend 'the xpected' to 'they expected' but was timed out

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Not only that, seems most of our nurses will be dancing - I wonder if that is a covert ploy to slim them down? And who will be looking after the poor patients while they are hoofing at the opening ceremony? :rolleyes: :confused:

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I always found it cringeworthy when patients/members of the public/anybody else, applied the term'Angels' to nurses.
Well, having been away from the coal face for almost ten years now I am not entirely sure I can make much of a judgement.....but I am going to have a stab at it anyway.

Nurses do a dirty, difficult job. Most nurses work very hard to ensure they give the patients under their care the best attention. It was hard when I was doing this job, and I know it has got harder because there are fewer hands doing the work.
I never wanted to be called an Angel......in fact, I think it is patronising in the extreme. All I ever wanted(and I think this is true of most nurses) was to have the resources to give patients the care they needed and the respect for doing a job that many folk wouldn't(and couldn't)do.

I don't get this culture that seems to have grown up....where people can badmouth and disrespect members of the nursing profession.(in many cases on the basis of hearsay evidence of other people)

As in all walks of life there are good and bad.......I have met some extremely good nurses during my professional life - I would put myself in their hands any day of the week. I have also met the odd nurse who has been bad. The good ones outweigh the bad ones in droves.....and let me tell you in your time of need one of them will be there for you....and you will be glad of them.

As for Nurses dancing at the opening of the Olympics(supposedly to celebrate the NHS) Nurses should not be doing this......it is frivolous and uncalled for and takes away the gravitas of the profession. Who will be looking after the patients while they are involved in this? Who thinks up these stupid stunts?

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Wise words as usual from you Margaret along with the benefit of experience. I too find the term Angels patronising and I wonder if the dancing nurses will be real ones or resting actors impersonating them. it would be good if the nurses refused to co operate.

My recent stay in hospital has only reinforced my view of the profession which largely ties in with what you said. All I can say is I'm glad they were there for me.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Re: Angels.

I think that's down to the BBC.

I can't remember the term being used to mean nurses, prior to the television programme in the mid seventies, set in the fictional St. Angela's in Battersea, and called Angels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/features/2...sgroup_150.jpg

I agreee, it is rather disparaging.

I don't think many heavenly angels would do half the mucky jobs nurses have to deal with, for fear of getting their pristine wings dirty.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Margaret I completely agree with you, how patronising and unprofessional! Are consultants going to be dancing alongside, or are they too important? It makes it appear that nurses are frivolous and unimportant which is far from the case. If I was a nurse I would be extremely offended - in fact I've just had an idea - why don't they choreograph it in the Carry On style with lookielikies from the Carry On gang re jigging Carry On Matron? It wouldn't be any more offensive to the profession I'm sure!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I don't think even that would work for me. It still disparages a hard working and worthy profession. It taints its credibility and does absolutely nothing to 'celebrate' the NHS.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Oh yes, and another thing all Nurses who work at hospitals close to Olympic venues have been told they will not be allowed to take leave(holidays) during the time that the Olympics are being held. So it will be interesting to see where they get the dancing nurses from.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I was trying to be ironic with the Carry On comment Margaret!
I really hope that this doesn't happen because it will completely devalue the nursing profession, I wonder which over enthusiastic idiot thought it up.
I just hope that no nurse agrees to participate, and any dancer refuses to impersonate a nurse.
Also, I'm sure that most people would prefer nurses on duty to be at their place of work doing their job rather than making fools of themselves at the Olympic ceremony.
And if they choose to participate in their own time then they shouldn't be in the profession!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

They probably can't take leave because they'll be needed for the dancing!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I think it is down to the people who have thought up this stupid idea....they are the ones who truly do not see the value of nurses being where they should be......on duty, looking after patients......not tripping the light fantastic.
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire fame) and Stephen Daldry have their paws on this venture.
I hope that the Nursing Unions step in and advise their members to have nothing to do with it.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

In this video Danny Boyle says that real nurses are being used

BBC News - London 2012: Olympic ceremony details unveiled by Danny Boyle

Re: Olympic farrago
 

PS in case you don't bother to watch that, please note that Danny Boyle says he is attempting to depict 'humour' in the ceremony.:rolleyes:

Result - we'll be a 'right laughing stock'.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I watched it and apparently the Nurses and NHS staff will be 'volunteers'.........it doesn't reassure me in the least. I think it is not the way to give the NHS, the staff or the work they do, any kind of credibility.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I'd make bumbling Boris dress up as a Pearly King, and dance around the stadium.

That's if we could find enough buttons.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

surely if they give sufficient notice as required by contract they cant be stopped or do contracts become null and void if theres an olympic event because if so theres a few contracts i would like to ignore?

i hope that any nurse that wanted time off during the olympics rings in sick and i wouldnt blame them for doing so

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Seems he's been doing some research into his family history and costume.

Pearly King Alf and Boris Johnson | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Don't knock Boris, he's a good lad - what you see is what you get, he really is like that and has been since birth, and he's not a bad dancer by all accounts!:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

You may think Boris is a good lad but then you don't have to suffer him as your Mayor..he's increased public transport fares by 50% in the last four years!
Once met him in a pub close to the old Tory HQ..it was a Sunday lunctime and four of us were the only ones in the pub.. in walks Boris with a load of reporters... he was buying them all a drink then looks round the pub and says "oh and a drink for those lads".
Never knew a free drink from Boris would cost me so much in the long run!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Hell Margaret, we agree on something, he's a laughing stock per say

Re: Olympic farrago
 

You can give as much notice as you want, but if there is an emergency situation leave can be cancelled........and in situations like this, where the Authorities know that there is going to be a greater demand for services the you can ask for leave, but it will not be granted during the time the olympics is on.

You just have to plan your leave for some other time. I am pretty sure that in the areas where there are Olympic events taking place that as soon as it was clear the Olympics were coming - staff would be told that NO leave would be granted during this time.......so staff would have had plenty of notice.

As for the going sick thing. Well, you are going to look pretty daft on your 'return to work' interview with a suntan.....certainly won't be believed.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I've been going to Benidorm for 40 years,never come back with a tan yet.:D Lager flush maybe.;):D:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

With the greatest respect.......you are not a young nurse! :D
Yes they like to indulge in the alcohol, but they also like to show that they have been somewhere warm and sunny, by coming home with a tan..........and yes, I know you could say that they got it at the local tanning shop.....but even that won't wash - if you are well enough to go to the tanning booth, then you are well enough to show up for work.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

What about those nurses who want to take time off because they were lucky enough (?) to get tickets for some olympic events?

Re: Olympic farrago
 

They will be able to sell their tickets at a profit on E-Bay? Oh no they won't because that isn't legal:)
Sue, what they can do is ask for their day off to coincide with the event......they can ask, but that doesn't mean they will get. If they don't get the day off that they asked for, then they will have to negotiate with a colleague of the same grade to swap days off.....Always, the service comes first.......and you know that when you take the job.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

just shows what sort of thicko's are running the event when they couldnt even think of putting dancers in nurses uniforms :rolleyes:

will the nurses be supported by a group of waltzing st johns ambulance brigade folk ?

if emergencey services are to be tied up doing trivial activities why not go the whole hog and get the police and fire brigade in on it too its not as though they will have anything better to be doing is it lol

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I think that even using actors/dancers as NHS staff is not taking their roles seriously....and as such degrades the work done by these essential staff.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Like to endulge in the alcohol,:eek: i've been on the wrong end of partying nurses Maragaret, not a pretty sight believe me:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

John, I know......the parties that used to be held at the Doctors Residence near the Infirmary were legendary I believe. I never went to any of them, me being married seemed to keep those young(and not so young) docs at bay.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Can we stop the cynicism about the Olympics. They will be fantastic for the country.

We can't match the Beijing opening ceremony, but no one can, so we have nothing to lose. We don't have a ready made cast of oppressed millions to pick from who are willing to practice banging a drum for 12 hours for fear of reprisals from the 'regime'.

We are Britain, we do things our way.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

1) No they won't.
2) Yes we have.
3) Wasn't that a yank called Frank.:confused::D:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Yes, from what we're told is planned, half-arsed, and embarrassingly badly.

Cut the dire theatrics, and concentrate on what the Olympics are, a sporting event.

Oh, and holding on to a modicum of dignity, wouldn't be a bad idea.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

The olympics lost their sporting Kudos years a go.......it isn't about sport anymore......though they(the organisers would have you believe it is)....it is about business, big business. Recent Olympics have not done much for the countries in which they were held....and they certainly never made a profit.

There are quite a lot of us who are tax payers, whose money will be spent on these lavish events, who actually couldn't give a flying fig about any of it.
In case you are in any doubt I am one of them. I am hoping that someone will point me in the direction of a warm, dry cave where TV reception is non-existent for the duration of the event.

I hate sport. Any sport. All sport. Waste of time, energy and money.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

So, I take it you won't be joining me and Cashy on the Clayton End anytime soon, Margaret? ;)

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Rent boys.

Norman Tebbit would be proud, that you moved to find employment.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

'Unwanted hotel rooms needlessly reserved for dignitaries by Olympic organisers will be a key factor in a tourism slump set to cost Britain billions this summer, top travel industry figures have warned.'

Tourism gold? Olympics set to lose Britain billions - Olympics - Sport - The Independent

Going for gold.

More Olympic news, to make a big song and dance about.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

No Steve.......I would only go, to have the pleasure of meeting you two fine gents.

I reckon my dislike of sport goes back to schooldays. I was pretty useless.......too short for netball(and always in the wrong bit of the court)......too scared to play rounders( whose idea was it to put a half brick in a bit of leather and call it a ball?)
'Unco-ordinated' was my middle name so no good at badminton, tennis, table tennis - I was making a swing for the ball long after it had shot past me earholes.
This meant that when picking teams - I was in the 'leavings'...no-one wanted to be handicapped by my efforts.

Didn't want to be doing stuff I had no chance of winning at. That's my excuse!

Re: Olympic farrago
 

It was rumoured that "Tiddleywinks" was being proposed as a new Olympic discipline -perhaps you could try that Margaret!;);)

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Oh, don't Dianne! I am even NBG at that too:)

Re: Olympic farrago
 

But I bet you were a whizz at the 50 yard bedpan dash:):D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Dust these off.

Stick Boris, Seb, and Fatima Whitbread in 'em.

Job's done.

Eurovision 1974 Interval Act - The Wombles - YouTube

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I'm sure Katie Boyle would help out, if she's not working.

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Silly Olympics - YouTube

The only way the Olympic ceremony could be 'humourful'

Re: Olympic farrago
 

A bit like me ah Margaret Tiddling when you should be Winking :D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Would that be before or after the fact Bob:rolleyes::D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Depends on when they hand out the laxatives

Re: Olympic farrago
 

What about the synchronised blanket baths?

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Well can subscribe to them Bob:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

They didn't use to need laxatives, the ward sister was enough.:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Nurses might not like playing sports, but they're good at organising them.

With military precision, they can arrange for four patients to have enemas at exactly the same time...knowing there are only three medals, at the finishing toilets.

Let the games begin.

:s_whizz::s_pooh::s_pooh:

:s_pooh:

Re: Olympic farrago
 

I could do that alright...isn't it strange, the motivation that loose stools can give:D:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

If the Olympics fail we can always fall back on the Mc Wimbledon Highland Games - as long as Scottish independence is not imminent...

The Wombles: highland games - YouTube

:D

Re: Olympic farrago
 

Could be.. some of them press boys did look abit dodgy.