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Several sport commentators will claim the London Olympics will be a welcome respite from the apparent Eurozone misery that has engulfed our capitalistic lifestyles. The Games should be a welcome interlude from this prolonged 'financial doomsday' we're all witnessing. Indeed our multi-cultured capital; London is seen as the head quarters for European finance - the noted spearhead for the 'European' banking sector - A glowing beacon for prosperity that strutted around like a proud peacock during the heavy days of amorous bonuses - Following the rhetoric to the book of 'no such thing as boom and bust!' Now London has failed its nation - A potential breathe of fresh air can sweep away the recent financial woe cobwebs, and yes, London has a chance to redeem a British confidence worldwide. A chance of rekindling national hope, pride and prosperity, could make the London Olympic Games a pinnacle of extraordinariness - resembling a golden phoenix rising from the long fingered financial flames. The timing is perfect; the eyes of the developed world will be super glued to the sporting events that will predominantly invade TV channels across the globe. London couldn't be 'giveth' a greater opportunity to parade our excellence from hosting such an event, to 'business acumen', to 'sporting prowess'. Helped on by a bulbous Boris Johnson leading with waffling supremacy.

On your marks....

Going by past sporting events we have hosted, the British team generally does rather well while being hosts. Albeit, there's a bitter sweet realism that comes with the hosting responsibility - look no further than the Athens Olympic Games in 2004! The cost of 15 billion dollars (Equivalent to 11 billion Euros) almost decapitated Athens financially, and it was never replenished - after naively viewing the huge investment as a capital rejuvenation program. Beijing in 2008, emulated similar expenditure, mirroring those of Athens; except they had a wider plan to recoup fees back - 'The Bird's Nest' stadium revolutionized sport and entertainment in the Chinese district. Greece, seven years on, are bankrupt. Not a good omen it seems; whereby in Beijing the Games engineered capitalist ventures - nine power stations were built eighteen months thereafter - A feast of creativity exploded in the region, endeavoring a collaborated ethos evident today, nearly four years on. London has to emulate the same growth to recoup costs - This'll be impossible going by the austerity measures our government has logged on to.

London 2012, originally had enterprising plans to employ local people on the site, hasten to add, this didn't happen. Since 'Team GB' won the 2012 Olympic bid in 2005, the Olympic area has demised somewhat. Incredulous unemployment figures are a grubby smudge behind the Olympic Village. Disdain has marred the location like an internal cancer eating at the foundations of the Olympic venues - All this erupted during last summer's riots. The London 2012 committee, missed out on an opportunity to reward its young locals, and chose to disregard their own pledge during the winning bid euphoria, whereby claiming local people will prosper greatly from having the Games on their doorstep. Instead contracts went to blue chip corporations, globally. In return, the Olympics have become a nasty pill to swallow for Londoners as they've paid the extra taxes, stroke congestion charge, without any real term investment back as far. The bitter pill first taste was when the decrepit jigsaw styled logo was announced, it had poor press overall, and then super fast food giant MacDonald's won the logo sponsorship deal - this provoked the wrong image entirely. MacDonald's systematically introduced a healthier menu to coincide to the Olympic image - proving that money talks. More recent matters of corporation ethics have proven 'money talks' - chisel chinned Lord Coe, has stoutly allowed discredited Dow Chemical's 7 million pound advertising investment to stand - naturally, this has prompted a potential Indian boycott of the Games - in response to the 1984 Bhopal Industrial disaster; whereby tens of thousands perished. Dow Chemical bought the offending company Union Carbide in 2001. Lord Coe may've in one stubborn act tarnished the London Olympics before an athlete had packed their bags; by underestimating the powerful image of burning a London Olympic effigy. The five rings joined, five continents linked for the good of human endeavor.©1st2thebar 2011

Get set....

On a positive note, pundits have already predicted 'Team GB' will surpass all national sporting achievements as far. They've gone beyond our already inflated national expectations and it has started with 'Sports Personality of the Year' - past Olympians in the world of cycling have been given a platform for ultra greatness - pre-empting sublime achievements during next summer. That'll in turn prompt knighthoods for 'Team GB' across the sporting spectrum - You may think I'm jumping the gun a smidgeon; the Games flag's are still collecting dust in locker rooms and yet in some circles you feel sporting history is being pre-written in stone. The fastest man on two wheels; Mark Cavendish is already sitting with the 'Gods' of sporting legends - crookedly pointing at his two wheel competition, smirking at the knobby knees of the Kenyans. A myriad of countries do not have the luxury of a coastline either, so the sailing disciplinary is beyond most of their countrymen's means. Naturally 'Team GB' whom most resides on this island is enriched with coastal sporting talents - which are derived via getting out of tidal trouble, or escaping entrapment in disintegrating coves. This type of training comes free, its prize is: 'survival!' I genuinely wonder how our Olympians have managed during this past year of austerity - apart from appearance fees and mediocre prize money - the government had failed to subsidize their annual income. Now their notable income is sparse - even wrinkly Olympian Fatima Whitbread has had to delve into the Australian jungle to aid her dwindling coppers.

Uh oh!!

For the London Olympics to become a success - 14,000 security personnel require vigorous terrorist plot testing, training; plus the Games require a smooth cohesive mobility infrastructure. Once these are implemented - London 2012 could be a wondrous cardboard frenzy, thanks to generations watching Blue Peter.©1st2thebar 2011