Who's looking forward to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee? And who's excited about the Olympics?

Bored already! I hope we don't have red faces but I'm not bothered really.

We love the Olympics, can't wait, unfortunately we could only get tickets for Judo, but as that is one of our favourite sports, we were lucky to get them. Already booked our park and ride place.

May try to get to one of the free open air screens, there will be a better atmosphere that on the TV.

I can take or leave the Jubilee, but I'm sure Mrs. P will be glued to the TV.

Not interested in either.

Why can we not have a permenant venue for this...all this concrete ....they want us to reduce our heating thermostat and put up with inadequate light bulbs when this amount of fervour is put into building and building and building its mad absolutely mad...

Perhaps we should start a campaign for a permanent Olympic site in Greece! All competing countries should contribute to costs (according to the average number of competitors over that last four games??) and pay an annual registration fee to maintain site and use it for training! Might even help the Greek finances! Not sure where winter Olympics would be though.

I have thought the same thing for a long time whats the prob with it ....It started there or so they say ...It makes sense financially ...logistically and security wise.....Missiles on roofs in London...all for sport, come on get real..its sport thats all....make it easy for everyone to enjoy no a nightmare,and my taxes...

Couldn't agree more nanaej! Think the monarchy are bigger waste of money than the olympics, but spending on both should be pared back in the current economic climate.

I have no idea of the cost of the Olympics and the Jubilee, but I'm sure the income from tourism and trade will far exceed it.
I was surprised at the London Marathon many of the spectators were foreign visitors.

pompa No country has ever made a profit on the Olympics in recent years – it's take some decades to pay off their debts.

I know you won't believe internet statistics but this shows that some games have made a direct profit in their first year. It is very difficult to assess the value to our Country that the prestige the Olympics and Jubilee will bring. I am very proud of Britain, it's achievements and it's Monarchy. If we criticise our own efforts , how will the rest of the world see them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_the_Olympic_Games

I think you're right about the generated income, pompa. Why do it otherwise? It's a big advertising campaign for Britain. Everyone knows advertising is expensive but that it pays off.

Yes, I know I've said I'm not interested in watching stuff myself (though I might look out for women's gymnastics on iPlayer) but that doesn't alter the truth of what pompa is saying.

I'm surprised how few ladies seem to be interested in the Olympics, Mrs. P will be glued to the TV dawn/dusk, whatever the sport. Perhaps all those finely tuned bodies remind her of me in my youth. ROFL.

I'm dreading the Olympics, I think I will have to check my stock of chick lit

As for the jubilee, I wouldn't call myself a royalist, but I do like a bit of pomp and ceremony. It can often bring a tear to my eye. But I wouldn't make a point of watching it.

pompa your missus is a woman after my own heart! My family were always sport-watchers and, to an extent, players, though far from Olympic standard. Getting TV in 1952 was a revelation.

Well I'm looking foward to seeing the flotilla on the Thames! I was lucky enough to see the replica Hereford trow (special shallow flat based boat for use on Wye & Severn) being bulit in Gloucester Docks. Amazing workmanship. Also being restored there was a Fire-Boat used to put out the fire at St Paul's during the bombing. The flotilla should be worth a cheer or two and make great television. I think street / area parties are something to look foward too; can YOU remember the Coranation celebrations? Or the parties for The Prince of Wales' wedding? These memories of the Royal Wedding events are large in my children's memories and why shouldn't we all join in to ensure our Grandchildren have some memories like that too? [flag waving!]

Creative accounting explains Olympic profits. Tourism bookings for the UK are already much lower than last year. This will adversely affect many places outside London, such as the Lake District and Edinburgh.

bags Ego tripping rather than revenue generating.

I am obviously very gullible and like to think that what I read has some truth about it. I shall head off to the Olympics and watch the Jubilee in the, perhaps misguided, impression that it will be good for Great Britain.

We certainly have not booked our usual holidays in Britain yet, definitely something to do with the rubbish weather forecast rather than anything else. Once the weather improves we will be heading for Yorkshire/Wales.

Love your cynicism, absent.

I don't know whether it will be of financial benefit for GB or not, but I hope it will be good for all the young athletes and that have worked long and hard to have achieved such a level of excellence that they can represent their country.
Good for them, I say!

I'm not a royalist but as I live on the Thames and the flotilla will be passing by my window I'm looking forward to the spectacle.

As for the Olympics - I'm trying to work up some enthusiasm and not be so cynical. I'm sure that when the Games start there will be a lot of excitement and we'll get enthused. I like the major track events and used to love the gymnastics - Olga Korbut was my heroine!

We Brits tend to be a bit miserable about these things until they get going and then we join in the fun!

I am not against young athletes competing. I just dislike all the peripheral – and massively expensive – nonsense. The so-called Zil lanes will be a great inconvenience to Londoners who try to lead normal lives during the games and why do the IOC and their hangers-on have to have limousines? What happened to "the greenest games ever" or has everyone forgotten that promise? What have the absurd theatrics of opening and closing ceremonies got to do with anything? And the ever increasing costs…

I for one think we are lucky to have the Queen. She has been the most dutyful person and has been given little respect back. What is the problem with a women devoting her life to this country, she has more respect from the commomwealth countries than here. People are very hateful, a generalisation not attacking Gransnetters and I simply don't know why. Is it her wealth, personality, what? I worry about republicanism, it just could be 'you don't know what you had till it's gone'.

As for the celebrations I never get excited but in the end I do like to see people happy and I don't begrudge them a day of happiness. It is after all a light hearted occassion and why bother to be grouchy about it. As for the Olympics I don't bother with it but I can respect others do. Anyone who likes sport must view the Olympics as the best event Britain has had for years. I do however think the money was an issue when we first applied for the games and obviously given the financial climate todate this has become a massive problem.

Will those of you who have ba humbugged honestly not put the tele on to see the Thames Celebration or watch a smidge of the Olympics?

Well, I'm beginning not to believe it when we are told we 'the country' can't afford something. We are told that and then we go ahead and do it anyway. Doesn't make sense to me. If we really couldn't afford it, we wouldn't do it.

I don't object to the queen on a personal level. She seems to do the job, for which she gets well paid, well. I object to the archaic notion of a monarchy.

If we had a telly, I daresay I'd watch some of both entertainments, but not having a telly has advantages, the first and foremost being a quiet life. No telly is not a bad price to pay, I find.

I have no interest whatsoever in the bloody jubilee or the damned Olympics. Sorry but that is the way I feel about these 2 absolutely obscene wastes of money that the country cannot afford. HRH's barge is costing enough money to keep hundreds thousands of families from freezing for the next 10 winters and the Olympics is nothing but a fiasco lining the pockets of the elitists (such as Lord Coe and his chummies) and will do nothing at all to boost the economy of anyone but a few of the richest Southerners.

Do you think Her Madge would ever say "lets keep this low key and put all the money into something worth while like a childrens charity" Like hell she would.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr My cage is well and truly rattled.

I don't think the Queen has any much choice in these matters!