# So Mr. Romney....



## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

You thought we weren't ready, that we had security problems and that we weren't behind the Olympics...how wrong you were! Guess you don't know it all after all. The 'Happy and Glorious' Games the IOC President called them at one of the best parties in the world, the Closing Ceremony. 
"President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, who declared the Games of the 30th Olympiad closed just before midnight, said: "We will never forget the smiles, the kindness and the support of the wonderful volunteers, the much-needed heroes of these Games. 
"You, the spectators and the public, provided the soundtrack for these Games. 
"Your enthusiastic cheers energised its competitors and brought a festive spirit to every Olympic venue."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19236754


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-19238324

Just in case you didn't understand it which reading a couple of American newpaper reviews has lead me to believe that many non Brits haven't lol, here's what happened. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...d-Darcey-give-Rio-a-unique-act-to-follow.html


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## seasoned (Aug 13, 2012)

Gotta love it when a plan comes together.....................


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/13/olympics-closing-ceremony-world-press-eccentric-madly-bonkers_n_1771530.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk-ws-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D122131

Love China's response!


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## crushing (Aug 13, 2012)

Okay, I finally decided to check out what awful nasty things Romney said about the 2012 Summer Olympics that had people all in an uproar. I heard about the "gaffe" from media outlets, but didn't pay much attention to it. Here it is:

"It's hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting. The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and Customs officials - that obviously is not something which is encouraging." -Romney about the 2012 Summer Olympic Games

Can you believe the..whoah.. wait...what? That's it? That little bit is what caused all that commotion and twisted knickers, particularly with those selling newspapers (and American Democrats, of course)?

Stiff upper lip? :roflmao:

It's great that the Games turned out so well and at last the IOC President had positive things to say about these Olympic Games during the closing ceremonies rather than the usual harsh criticism that all the others have received.


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## Sukerkin (Aug 13, 2012)

*China Daily, meanwhile, damned the capital with faint praise writing that Chinese Olympic Committee vice-president Wei Jizhong has "urged the public not to compare the London Olympics with the 'unparalleled' Beijing Games."

*ROFLKLITA - pass the cream to the sourpuss :lol:


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

crushing said:


> Okay, I finally decided to check out what awful nasty things Romney said about the 2012 Summer Olympics that had people all in an uproar. I heard about the "gaffe" from media outlets, but didn't pay much attention to it. Here it is:
> 
> "It's hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting. The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and Customs officials - that obviously is not something which is encouraging." -Romney about the 2012 Summer Olympic Games
> 
> ...



Stiff upper lip? You've been watching too many American made films lol! Too often the view of the British is taken from media perceptions not by actually knowing any brits.
There was more to Romney's gaffe than just that, because he didn't say it to our faces, he said it to American media then said something completely different to us, he also got leader's names wrong and perhaps worst of all from your point of view because he showed he can't keep his mouth shut when he declared to all and sundry he had a meeting with our security service, that doesn't bode well if he gets into power about your national secrets....'hey guys, guess what I know...'
If he'd said those things about us and the Olympics to our media we wouldn't have minded so much but he was speaking behind our backs, thinking we wouldn't ever know which looks as if he thinks we are stupid, that's not a good thing to do to your best and most staunch allies.


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## crushing (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Stiff upper lip? You've been watching too many American made films lol! Too often the view of the British is taken from media perceptions not by actually knowing any brits.



Yes, that has become quite apparent.


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## Sukerkin (Aug 13, 2012)

An article in the Telegraph that actually encapsulates the emotions of the past fortnight quite well:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/d...is-an-englishman-is-this-what-heaven-is-like/

I, for one, am quite enamoured of our social myths and traditions.  I like the fact that we don't normally get overlly excited about things and react well to adversity - but I too have had my 'stiff upper lip' challenged unexpectedly several times during this Olympic event.  

I don't know if it is my age (nearing fifty means you can care a little less about making a fool of yourself ) or the long stress of the economic disaster we are enduring or some other cause. All I know is that I have been moved to cheers and nearly to tears by the triumphs and almost-but-not-quite battles of our atheletes and those of other nations.

The article suggests it has been a cathartic national moment for us, where we have had good reason to applaud and feel great for a time and realise that, maybe, we aren't quite a spent force just yet.


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

crushing said:


> Yes, that has become quite apparent.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19201329


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## Sukerkin (Aug 13, 2012)

Here is what is probably my favourite moment of the Games tho - the honest, heartfelt, surprise and excitement of Katherine Copeland really warmed my soul.  "We've won the Olympics!" she cried as they took Gold and even now, days on, it still makes me smile and feel a certain lump in my throat:

View attachment $bp16.jpg


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## Sukerkin (Aug 13, 2012)

Another favourite moment was this one:

http://www.metro.co.uk/olympics/908...ympic-gold-will-help-boost-taekwondos-profile

As Jade Jones celebrated her TKD Gold with the Union flag in one hand and the Welsh flag in the other, it symbolised for me that that is where our strength lies as English, Welsh, Scots and Irish.  We are unique people in unique countries in and of ourselves but we also have another 'identity' as parts of a United Kingdom; individual but together.


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

Team GB.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYtpL5YhWOQ&feature=youtu.be


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19201329



wonderful article!
Without volunteers there is no show!
(but it is a shame, with all the money spend, they can't give those folks more than a T shirt...)


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> wonderful article!
> Without volunteers there is no show!
> (but it is a shame, with all the money spend, they can't give those folks more than a T shirt...)



If there were money or something other than a t shirt given you'd find that you would not have got the same amount of volunteers and you certainly wouldn't have got the quality there was. I think the volunteers would not want anything more than t shirts, the whole experience and helping was what they went for, to be of use, it's an old fashioned principle but volunteers are a concept here that hasn't died a death yet, volunteers spend their time and money running a whole load of things here and certainly don't want or expect anything 'monetary' in return, that would, believe it or not, cheapen the experience for them. It's one of those British quirks, not putting a price on things!


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 13, 2012)

Interesting. The Olympics went off rather well all the nations seemed to get along pretty well.and yet we here on MT seem to like to dived along nationalist lines and through jabs at one another..

Alrighty thenlet the games begin


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

Xue Sheng said:


> Interesting&#8230;. The Olympics went off rather well&#8230; all the nations seemed to get along pretty well&#8230;.and yet we here on MT seem to like to dived along nationalist lines and through jabs at one another&#8230;..
> 
> Alrighty then&#8230;let the games begin




Who's taking jabs at each other here? Are you reading something the rest of us aren't? If you mean we are taking a jab at an American politician who should know better if he want's to become a world statesman, yes, are we taking jabs at each other, no we aren't.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 13, 2012)

Ahhh you're just jealous because we got more medals than you.


And I am not a big fan of US politics either but if you can't see where this post is likely going to go then.....


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Xue Sheng said:


> Ahhh you're just jealous because we got more medals than you.
> 
> 
> And I am not a big fan of US politics either but if you can't see where this post is likely going to go then.....



if the UK was as big as the US they would have taken all the medals!


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

Xue Sheng said:


> Ahhh you're just jealous because we got more medals than you.
> 
> 
> And I am not a big fan of US politics either but if you can't see where this post is likely going to go then.....




Sigh, no, we aren't jealous at all, we will never win as many medals as you because you are a hugely bigger country with far more people, and only you seem to think this thread is going somewhere it's not intended to. We loved watching the Jamaicans, we loved that the American ran with Mo, we loved the American girl's world record, we shouted on Phelps, we shouted on everyone, we had a ball and hope everyone else did too. I posted the video with Team GB because it's fun not to be nationalistic.


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Oh, BTW, I have decided to go to Rio in 4 years.

I have not yet picked the sport, I figured I only have a chance in a shooting event, archery and power prancing....

And I am open to offers from countries with a lack of depth in their teams. I am open to Puerto Rico, since it's kinda close...but pretty much anything will do.


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> Oh, BTW, I have decided to go to Rio in 4 years.
> 
> I have not yet picked the sport, I figured I only have a chance in a shooting event, archery and power prancing....
> 
> And I am open to offers from countries with a lack of depth in their teams. I am open to Puerto Rico, since it's kinda close...but pretty much anything will do.



I fancy the handball, it looks violent lol! wouldn't it be great to go to Rio! We'd meet up and cause havoc lol!


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I fancy the handball, it looks violent lol! wouldn't it be great to go to Rio! We'd meet up and cause havoc lol!



the handball is like indoor rugby! 

but by then I will be 48...too old for the fun at that level. 
I have to pick something where age and experience can shine! ^_^

(you don't think Wales will sport a team, do you?)


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> the handball is like indoor rugby!
> 
> but by then I will be 48...too old for the fun at that level.
> I have to pick something where age and experience can shine! ^_^
> ...


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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 13, 2012)

*It really was a great Olympics!!!*  I really enjoyed the competition that every nation brought and there were lots of highlights!

The opening ceremony was my least favorite part but it got the ball rolling.  The competition put forth by Great Britain, The United States, China, Russia, Japan and many more was impressive.  My favorite parts in the competition was definitely the swimming, track and field and believe it or not beach volleyball!  The closing ceremony was absolutely fantastic!  One of the best in a long, long, long time!!!  Great job to everyone involved in the London Olympics as they really did put on a great event!!!


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

The organisers described the Opening Ceremony as the 'wedding', the formal bit and the Closing Ceremony as the Reception, the bit where peole can let their hair down and PARTY!

I loved that the medals were spread across a lot of countries some may have just the one bronze medal but it represents so much to so many people, absolutely the spirit of the Olympics, those who have earned money by taking bribes, presents or whatever can't diminish the effort and national pride that many felt seeing their country represented in the Olympics. My shift partner was so pleased to see the Nepalese flag paraded, they didn't win anything and only had a couple of athletes but he was proud all the same.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 13, 2012)

It was also great with female participation from every country!  That was really good!  There were also several countries that got their first ever medals!  Really cool!!!


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## CanuckMA (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> the handball is like indoor rugby!




Whn I was young and foolish, I was a handball goalkeeper. About as useless as a football goalkeeper, but with more bruising

Speaking of rugby, it's back in 2016. Yeah!!!!


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> granfire said:
> 
> 
> > the handball is like indoor rugby!
> ...


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

"Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Royal Marines met with GB Athletes this morning at Stratford for Breakfast. Over 100 Armed Forces personnel attended the Breakfast at GB House in the Westfield Shopping Complex at Stratford. The athletes autographed items of equipment owned by the service men and women and posed for countless photographs. Some of the Athletes in attendance included GB Rowers, Fencers and Even some older athletes like Sir Steve Redgrave and Duncan Goodhew."


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Sigh, no, we aren't jealous at all, we will never win as many medals as you because you are a hugely bigger country with far more people, and only you seem to think this thread is going somewhere it's not intended to. We loved watching the Jamaicans, we loved that the American ran with Mo, we loved the American girl's world record, we shouted on Phelps, we shouted on everyone, we had a ball and hope everyone else did too. I posted the video with Team GB because it's fun not to be nationalistic.



sigh.... I wasn't serious...I forgot to add the  that is all


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> if the UK was as big as the US they would have taken all the medals!



All except track...the 100, the 200 and the 4x100 relay.... we couldn't beat that guy either..and we tried


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

Xue Sheng said:


> All except track...the 100, the 200 and the 4x100 relay.... we couldn't beat that guy either..and we tried



That was so special though, it transends nationality, those guys are something else, they belong to the world! I can imagine though that the Jamaicans are bursting with pride, as they should be!


The athletes leaving  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19239328


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

CanuckMA said:


> Whn I was young and foolish, I was a handball goalkeeper. About as useless as a football goalkeeper, but with more bruising
> 
> Speaking of rugby, it's back in 2016. Yeah!!!!



All Black will take it home!


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## Tez3 (Aug 13, 2012)

granfire said:


> All Black will take it home!



I think Wales will give them a run for their money, they have a young team but it's been impressive recently. 

Do you think the All Blacks will do their Haka with their shirts off again....swoon


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## granfire (Aug 13, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I think Wales will give them a run for their money, they have a young team but it's been impressive recently.
> 
> Do you think the All Blacks will do their Haka with their shirts off again....swoon



down, Girl! 

(faints)


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