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

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just think how well we would do our jobs with the back-up of an enormous amount of personel etc. seeing to our every need - I'd be brilliant

no and a little in that order

whitewave. Bang on!

not really interested i either of them . Think they are quite a waste of money , we will be away for the jubilee and as we have cable tv I will be able to escape sport which I am not sad about at all

well said gillybob-we will be treated to the sight of loads of rich VIP's from here and abroad. All evidence of people struggling will be out of sight. I admire the athletes and wish them well-but it will be a richfest-get ready to pull your forelocks. One thing I will enjoy-is seeing the BBC people simpering at royalty-they never fail.

Anagram She does have a choice though. She can choose to say NO enough is enough. She has lived an extremely privileged life (likewise all her family) and given the state of the country she would have gained more respect from making a donation to charity in the name of her jubilee. Crikey I fail to think how much champagne will be swilled and expensive food consumed by the royals (and their cronies) over the course of these "celebrations".

My gran is 96 and worked until she was well into her 70's . She has had a HARD life and I mean HARD but she is worth a million of these parasites.

It's all politics, though, isn't it? I don't believe the Queen has as much clout as you seem to think, gillybob!

I am looking forward to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, because there are lots of things happening locally, a village picnic, beacon lighting and traditional bun throwing from the roof of Abingdon Town Hall. Back in 2002, the 50th anniversarey, DS had just got engaged and DDiL, her mother, sister and sister's boyfriend all came to stay. All the events taking place caused great amusement and helped us all get to know each other. 10 years on we are all getting together again, only this time there will also be two excited grandchildren to join us. We are really looking forward to a happy occasion for the family and the country. I would love to go to see the flotilla sail through London but it conflicts with local events plus getting there and back with a just toilet-trained barely 2 year old is not practical.

At the other end of the spectrum are the Olympics, and my loathing of that event is visceral. I have every respect for the athletes training for the events but the Olympic organisation from Lord Coe downwards I hold in utter contempt, when jumped up officials get fast access lanes and top tickets to the top events while the families of competitors, even those in the finals, will need to watch their success on tv because there are no tickets for them at the stadia, is a debasement of the Olympic ideal. Where corporate sponsors like Coca Cola can dictate what clothes spectators wear, in case they have non-sponsors logos (like Bob the Builder) and frisk them to check that they have not brought any food or drink in, not even water, that is not a Coca Cola product then the Olympic ideal is so debased that it is worthless. I would like the 2012 Olympics to be the last Olympics ever. Every sport present in London this summer has annual World Championships, from the athletes view if you are the best in the world what else do you need? All the money countries waste on this tarnished event can go to more useful purposes.

Not really interested in the Jubilee except as an historic event. Looking forward to the Olympics. After all, it's my one and only chance to experience them in my lifetime ( although I do come from a line of very long- lived women). We went to the Olympic Stadium last weekend for a trial event and I thought it was a very disappointing place. Only a man would design an arena where you climb three flights of stairs to your seat and then discover the only loos are on ground level.
The Orbit is a monstrosity - but I think they said that about the Eiffel Tower.
My daughter and I have tickets for football(near home) and tennis. Not making evening arrangements while the athletics is on. Imagine - we don't have to stay up till 2.00am or get up at 5.00.
However, I still wish Paris was staging them. My GC will be paying for the Games and probably their GC too.

I can't believe that there seem to be so few of us looking forward to the Jubilee! Were there no GNs in the crowds at Bromley today? Loads of happy people smiling at the Queen and getting a smile in return.

Not getting involved in Jubilee! Agree with whoever posted that Queenie, as one of the wealthiest women around, could have given something to the nation to mark her jubilee..sell a crown, wipe out the debt for example!

She could have thrown 60 jubilee parties across the country for vulnerable /sick children or something similar.. maybe 60year olds! but funded by her money not the nations!

When everything is gloom and doom it is great to have something to look forward to. The Jubilee is a tribute to a woman who, whether you approve of her or not, has worked very hard for this country. An extra days holiday and the opportunity to have a party, how can you not be a little bit excited! The Olympics will not affect my area of the country much but I hope they are a great success and a wonderful showcase for the UK and that they inspire lots of youngsters to take up sport.

Nanaej, she has given her life. What more do you want?

And as I pointed out in an earlier post, it's not a question of what she wants - it's mainly politics and promoting the UK.

nanaej what a good idea that would have been. 60 parties paid for by her madge. Not a chance of that though given that she is one of the richest women in the world (just by accident of birth mind you). She still expects US (her subjects) to pay to celebrate HER good luck and good fortune.

seasider Yes I agree there is so much doom and gloom and with one sweep of her royal hand she could wipe some of it away. She could donate to a charity in the name of her jubilee, she could open a special jubilee hospital unit etc. there are so many things she could have done. These parasites (and thats what they are) just take and take. they are totally uneffected by austerity and cutting back is probably not even in their vocabulary. I am sorry but greed, opulence and selfishness is not something I would care to celebrate.

Ditto the Olympics which has made some very rich Southerners even richer but will have no positive impact on anyone else.

I had no interest in the olympics until I heard they are building a "pop-up hotel in our local forest for the security staff. Since the announcement the council have been spending lot of money in the area, new lighting, paths put through bits of wasteland near the shops and parking. Guess there was some sort of sweetner to our Council to allow the building in the forest

Not interested in the Olympics except that the torch will be passing the end of the road and I shall go and watch just to say that I've done it.
I am interested in the Diamond Jubilee and will be glued to the TV no doubt at various times but nothing seems to be happening in our area. I'm thinking about having a party in our garden for family and friends but only thinking about it. Still, it's a special bit of history.

I like the earlier suggestion of a cheap and cheerful Olympics Games - it's how they were not so long ago. We could have really shown the world that we can enjoy something without overdoing it. The fact that the organisers feel that they've got to be bigger and better than anyone else really galls and thoughts of the Millennium celebrations come to mind - oh dear!

I am not a monarchist - Although sometimes think the alternative could be worse - think of your least popular prime-minster standing on the balconey of Buck House - however

While the Queen holds assets worth £17 billion in trust for the nation, her estimated personal wealth of about £300 million is a pittance in comparison to that of the world's richest women.

The Queen’s personal income, derived from her personal investment portfolio and private estates, is used to meet her private expenses.

The Queen owns the Balmoral and Sandringham Estates, which were both inherited from her father.

Estimates of The Queen’s wealth often mistakenly include items which are held by her as Sovereign on behalf of the nation and are not her private property. These include Royal Palaces, the majority of art treasures from the Royal Collection and the Crown Jewels. The Queen cannot sell these – they must pass to her successor as Sovereign.

In 1992, The Queen volunteered to pay income tax and capital gains tax, and since 1993 her personal income has been taxable as for any other taxpayer.

The Queen has always been subject to Value Added Tax and pays local rates on a voluntary basis.

Thank you ,Pennysue. The antagonism towards a great lady has quite upset me.

Gosh what a lot of passion has been stirred up by this thread!

I'm not passionate about the monarchy, but I don't think the Queen deserves to be criticised just because of her position (which was after all an accident of birth), and for not using 'her' money for the Jubilee celebrations. She's a figurehead and a tourist attraction first and foremost - and she is well aware of that fact. I doubt whether she would have been given any choice about how much public money is being spent!

Hmm,,,suddenly struck me yesterday!! why my town of Accrington was looking a lot more "spick n span"!! ..

I think she could easily have said, 'one must not spend too much of one's subjects public money on celebrating one's jubilee' and someone would have listened.

I do not know her so cannot dislike her but I am not a fan of the monarchy as an institution!

I was going to ignore it all. Some of my friends can afford to go abroad.I was appalled at the expense of the olympics. Like many of you say surely it could be spent elsewhere. More men seem interested. I am not a royalist but then politicians are worse. Henry 8th well... but this Queen is quite amazing. I have loads of friends her age and more that do loads but I can't help but admire her as I sit in my dressing gown watching her up and out. I met her once and was quite charmed, short, smiling and she twirled around happily with, it seemed, genuine joy.

But it seems it is going to happen anyway and as I am new to the village I shall join in the festivities with my new found friends, watch the beacon and fireworks and help carry the torch on the WI float. It all seems a treat after city life.

After all we probably won't be able to do all our normal things, even the grand children will have their parents home and things going on in their villages so I won't be needed that week.

Love your attitude, fieldwake. You are really embracing your new life. Enjoy the celebrations and your new friends!