Having been rather reluctant to watch the Olympics on T.V. I gradualy “Got into it” as they say. Nearly at the end now, I realise that some of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists, worked their guts out, and have managed to put a bit of that so long forgotten word GREAT back into Great Britain.
Team G.B. has made me feel proud to be a Brit,
Having seen what hard work and dedication can do, to put G.B. in the worlds eyes, what would you suggest the rest of Britain could do, to get us back to being GREAT BRITAIN, throughout the World?.
Remember the days when just about everything thing we purchased, had, “Made in Great Britain.on it?.:)
A.Ps Signature states “Apathy” I agree with him on that, we seem to have developed into a system of “If it dont effect me, why bother”.
How, and what could be done to get us back into being Great once again,?. or have things gone too far, and it’s too late?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2012 at 10:10
It’s not the money that matters Jim, but the lives that are lost needlessly while this Country tries to play a part in policing the world when it can’t even police its own streets.
Regards,
kev35
Kev, it’s not often we agree, but your dead right on the above.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2012 at 10:07
Kev.
They don’t give a Monkeys for this Country, only for what they can fiddle out of it due to their position. Do we realy need 650 odd of them to run, (And very badly) this Country?.
It;s getting back to the same old, same old, Pruning, from top to bottom.
But don’t get me started regarding that lot. I.M..H.O Most are a waste of space.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: kev35 - 14th August 2012 at 10:01
We seem very quick to enter Wars that realy don’t concern us,and cost the UK a mint, but seem to be unable to spend money at home on things that would bring money in.
It’s not the money that matters Jim, but the lives that are lost needlessly while this Country tries to play a part in policing the world when it can’t even police its own streets.
Regards,
kev35
By: kev35 - 14th August 2012 at 09:58
I can’t see why we cannot pool the “Brains of britain”, in some school of gifted people, who can all work under the same roof, and simply develop new ideas and inventions, that the rest of the world would buy.
Didn’t that happen at Eton? It must have been a real success because it seems to have produced the current Government of this Country. :rolleyes:
Regards,
kev35
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2012 at 09:52
C.D.
Warren, and the rest of members, didn’t you all feel a sense of pride, and a feeling of “Pulling together”,?. I noticed a change of attitude in my town, when one day, a person who lives down my road, met me in passing, as I was turning into my driveway, he saw I was flying the flag, “Team G.B.” from my house.he said, “You British are crtainly good at winning medals” Turned out he was from Spain, and had moved over here with his wife. Both worked in a Care Home. We now speak, when we pass each other in the street. What I am getting at is the fact that even he felt pride in GB even though he wasn’t born here.The last time I felt that “Feel good factor, of togetherness was during the Falklands Conflict.
I can’t see why we cannot pool the “Brains of britain”, in some school of gifted people, who can all work under the same roof, and simply develop new ideas and inventions, that the rest of the world would buy. I know it’s not feasable in reality, but like our athletes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”
We seem very quick to enter Wars that realy don’t concern us,and cost the UK a mint, but seem to be unable to spend money at home on things that would bring money in. Take for example the Hovercraft, the Government didn’t want to know, so I think I am right in saying the USA did, look at how that took off.I am sure members can think of many more such examples.
I am sure if GB had like an annual school report it would say on the final line, “Could do better, if he/she tried harder”.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Creaking Door - 13th August 2012 at 19:16
…little tangible reward beyond happiness and promoting sports for a new generation.
Blimey, we don’t want much do we! :rolleyes:
By: pagen01 - 13th August 2012 at 19:08
Absolutely agree with Jims opening post, you can think what you like about the money spent, the organisation itself, and the media reportage, but the atheletes themselves were brilliant, and really do instill a sense of pride.
It’s great to see people working very hard and obtaining their dream on the world stage.
The Brownlee brothers were for me superb, and really showed that down to earth ‘we can do this’ spirit.
Re the money spent, sometimes its nice to know that sums can still be spent to organise a once in a life time event to uplift the majority of a nation, but with little tangible reward beyond happiness and promoting sports for a new generation.
By: Al - 12th August 2012 at 03:59
It’d be a dull uniform world if we all though the same Waco…!
By: waco - 11th August 2012 at 19:04
Al
We dont agree very often………but I have to say……..your post is spot on.
By: Al - 11th August 2012 at 18:10
Trouble is, Britain can no longer use superior technology to subdue nations which are armed only with pointed sticks – we’ve given them so much aid they are now much better equipped than us.
And without the Empire to supply us with raw materials and very cheap labour, Britain has shrunk back to reality – just a small group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean scraping a living in a very hostile world.
Germany had the right idea with the Bauhaus in the early 1900s – they pooled the skills and resources of their best designers, artists, architects and industrialists to produce products which were simply the best in terms of function, aesthetics, and ease of manufacture. The product could be anything from a nail to a building.
‘Made in Germany’ changed from being a bad joke to a sign of the highest quality…
By: brewerjerry - 11th August 2012 at 16:47
C.D.
We give India, and recently did, give India 16.000.000. and have been doing so for seemingly ages. Their President stated that they didn’t want or need it, but we still gave it to them. Apparently we are tied into giving them this until 2015.
Lincoln .7
Hi
Well if they didn’t want it, there is nothing stopping them giving it back to a UK charity or something.
cheers
Jerry
By: Indiaecho - 11th August 2012 at 15:04
Well done to the people in the Olympics, but while they have done well, how does it benefit me? There maybe a rosy glow about the country for a few weeks, but it doesn’t really impact on the average bod in the street does it?
What does matter though, as Creaking Door says, are the NHS, pensions, education, social services etc, and we are enormously lucky and priviledged to live in a country where, despite their failings, we are so well provided for in such areas.
We are also lucky to live in the country, that has the 5th or 6th biggest GDP, is the 7/8th biggest manufacturer, the 4th biggest defence budget and is the 5th biggest donor of international aid.
This obscure little island floating off the coast of Europe punches massively above its weight in the world, and while we mustn’t pretend that everything is rosy and that there are not problems (not least the large numbers of our fellow citizens who due to failings in the educational system are unable to contribute meanigfuly to society) and challenges ahead, there is an enormous amount that we can be proud about.
I end by repeating a conversation I had the other week with a collegue who is originally from Slovakia and is shortly to have a baby. When I asked her if she was going to go back to Slovakia to have it, he said no, as she regards Britain as her future now, not Slovakia. She wants the baby to have British citizenship as she believes that the UK offers it the best chance and opportunities for the future.
A conversation that certainly made me proud to be British, and reminded me just what a great country we are fortunate enough to live in.
By: Lincoln 7 - 11th August 2012 at 15:00
C.D.
Warren, don’t shoot the messenger, thats what I saw in several newspapers, and on T.V. Perhaps it may have been “Part payment” of the total you quote.
Whatever we give them, I.M.H.O. due to it’s being taken by their President, just adds insult to injury.and should, whatever the agreement states, should in all fairness be stopped immediately, but thats just my opinion.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Creaking Door - 11th August 2012 at 14:42
I can’t believe it’s only £16million that we give India in ‘aid’ every year; I thought it was over £1billion. It does seem strange that they don’t seem to want it; is it seen as insulting?
Maybe India is fairly close to the ‘Great’ Britain that some would like to see again; a rapidly growing (super) power but with massive problems of poverty and health…
…India does have a Space Programme though that puts Britain’s modest programme to shame!
(Edit: Current UK aid to India seems to be £280million per year.)
By: Lincoln 7 - 11th August 2012 at 12:51
C.D.
Warren, I agree with most of what you say, BUT, as long as we keep giving these “Developing Countries” aid, they never will be able to stand on their own two feet.
They have been developing for just the same time as the rest of the world has, so why are they still needing handouts.
We give India, and recently did, give India 16.000.000. and have been doing so for seemingly ages. Their President stated that they didn’t want or need it, but we still gave it to them. Apparently we are tied into giving them this until 2015.
Why didn’t the Government put an instant stop to this freebee?.
I am sure a better use could have been made of this handout, here in G.B.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Creaking Door - 11th August 2012 at 12:15
‘Greatness’ costs money; the UK PLC has the money to spend but tends to spend it on the mundane, but necessary things, the NHS, pensions, social services, aid to developing countries, and so on.
I am sure that there are many posts on this forum bemoaning the ‘vast sums’ of money ‘wasted’ on the 2012 Olympics which is a shame because I cannot really think of a more noble, worthy and high-profile cause to spend such a modest, once-in-a-generation, sum of money on.
Maybe attitudes in the UK towards this sort of expenditure will change…..I doubt it.
This is a shame because I think the British are a very proud people, and we have much in our past to be proud about, and I’m sure we’re all desperate to be proud of our country now but our politicians lack vision, or imagination, or are terrified of the public’s reaction to any attempt at ‘greatness’ (and who can blame them).
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August 11, 2012 at 9:01 am