The Olympics opening ceremony - what did you think?

Paul gets the prize for closing the book on the cost argument as far as I'm concerned with his earlier comment:

'And as for the cost of the ceremony - well its less than Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll'

How can anyone sensibly argue that the opening ceremony wasn't better value than one footballers contract.

Research indicates 0nly 2 Olympics have made money, London in 1948 which was run on a budget of lets say nowt!!! and Atlanta, countries such as Canada are still paying for theirs and as for Greece!!!

How do you tell if the Olympics make the country money or not? There is a difference between the Olympics making money and the country making money.

I suspect the Olympics themselves wont break even, but the overall impact on the country will and even make a profit. For example tourism will benefit for years to come.

We're not exactly begging for tourists at almost at any time of the year in London.
It would have been better to concentrate of what the whole of the UK has to offer tourists, not just London.

That was just an example of how the overall country will profit from the Olympics rather that just the Olympics. (Tourism is probably very hard to dent in London, but other areas need help.)

If I buy myself an ice cream it doesn't make me money...but it puts a smile on my face (and flab on my gut).

Even as an accountant, I think it'd be a depressing world if everyone only ever spent money on things that they expected to generate more money.

I must say I'm surprised no-one else has mentioned the Paralympics, although it doesn't follow the topic exactly. Anyway, we two are going to the Paralympics opening ceremony and, although I doubt it will be as extravagant, I am looking forward to it.