Olympics Ring A Ring A Roses

Amongst the many stories this morning confirming the view that chaos is with us and is not going away was one about Olympic Security. This has coincided with a story about how Suffolk Churches are being encouraged to raid their Poor Boxes to put on a light display bathing the Houses of God in the Olympic Colours next summer.

Given the fortunes being made by some of those running the show as well as all the profit and marketing opportunities arising from both government and local spending drawn from the taxpayers it can be said that emptying the Parish Churches of their cash is almost surreal.

That the row over security provision has emerged only nine months before it all happens should make a lot of people worried. As for the USA sending in the FBI, well they usually do, but this is only indicative of the wider problems. This blog has been here before.

On Tuesday, 12th May 2009, yes 2009, an item “Olympic Security Costs” was posted in this blog setting out the essential issues, the dangers and the likely costs of providing for adequate security arrangements. It was not extreme, nor was it alarmist; it simply tried to spell out what was what in terms of the present and the experience of past Olympics.

One question was how far the Armed Services would be able to help out, as in 1948, in terms of numbers and cover for critical areas. We can be fairly sure that because of continuing commitments and other problems there will be little to be had.

There has been the control and monitoring of people coming in during this period. From the stories and information on the crisis in the Borders Agency coupled with a huge influx of illegal and other barely checked migrants it is clear that we have lost the plot.

Also the failure to both deport and identify many high risk criminals, terrorists and extremists already staying here which presents an unknown quantity to working out who, what, where and how.

What we have had is a load of media happy hype with whipped in “ambassadors” and “volunteers” who are little trained cheerleaders and gofers almost all of whom are clueless about security and the rest.

In the last few weeks we have had some nasty riots and also a great many demonstrations and other activities which have clearly stretched the existing capability of police forces.

Personally, I hope against hope that there will not be trouble in London. This is for the purely selfish reason that quite often we go there and we do not want to find ourselves in the midst of a security shutdown or disaster.

Nor do we want to suffer the unending inconvenience of encountering high security activity everywhere we go.

Life is too short for that, especially if we are paying for it.

Olympics Update

There are reports that Swamp Fever, or Equine Infectious Anaemia has returned to the UK for the first time since 1976. This is a dangerous disease amongst horses and travels by means of the movement of horses about the world, largely for sporting events. It may be contained or it may not. If it isn’t then it will disrupt or even prevent the 2012 Olympic events planned.

Also, The Glastonbury Festival for 2012 is under threat according to the Sunday Mail because most of the police officers in the South West will be needed in London. Normally this would be a good selling point, but it is the fact that all the Portaloo’s of the nation also will be in London as well that is the real problem.

The rumour on the street is that a Flash Festival is to be held in retaliation but not at Glastonbury. The story goes that it will be in London adjacent to Westminster Bridge where there is a good deal of open space and large buildings little used during the summer to move into if it rains.

This might be an improvement on the real event which is not a good place to be in very wet weather. Perhaps it could become permanent for the sake of improving tourism figures.

There are protests from Local Councils in East London about the loss of the route for the Marathon Race to Westminster for reasons of scenic appeal and after lobbying from tourist interests. That the race will paralyse London traffic for a few days should be interesting. People from the Flash Festival could join in the race to add to the media interest.

My forecast long ago that the “Zil” lanes for designated official vehicles will be in place and will seriously affect traffic and trade in the East End is now causing concern. This will be happening long before the Games as road works etc. are needed long in advance.

The Olympic organisers are saying, on ecological grounds, that this will encourage more people to use public transport. A Mr. R. Crow, a union official of the RMT was reported to have had a fit of hysteria and only calmed down after being given a large slug of medication supplied by a distillery in Islay.

People of England may now sleep peacefully in their beds. It has been announced that eight sniffer dogs and their handlers will be available to deal with all the drugs problems that might arise. Also a few thousand nice, jolly, helpful people have been persuaded to do a lot of the dirty work and control the crowds for little or no salary.

Mad bloggers have been rabbiting on about solar flares. Do they mean that 1970’s fashions will be “In” for the Games? My old Kipper Ties will be getting an airing.