# I pit the Olympics. This is the final straw. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440 "2012-05-19T16:56:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/1 "2012-05-19T16:56:08Z")
I live in England, which has the unfortunate distinction of being this year’s host for the parasitic organism known as ‘The Olympics’. So far, it’s caused a circus convention I was going to attend to be cancelled (they can’t get the caterers, or hire any toilets as the sporty bastards are apprently taking over the whole country for the entire summer). It’s going to cause major traffic problems all over the country, as idiots with nothing better to do go to gawp slack-jawed in the street at a burning stick. It’s sold all the tickets to travel agencies so even those not disillusioned with the whole thing can’t actually _go_, unless they’re prepared to pay over 10 times the ticket face value and have a bed-bug infested slum room included in the ‘deal’. But I could cope with that; it was annoying, stupid and selfish, but I could deal… Until they sent me an email. You see, foolishly, I had succumbed to a moment’s weakness and signed up for the ticket sales, back in the optimistic glory days of last year, when many of us were under the laughable delusion that this was in some way going to be ‘fun’. Of course, I didn’t actually _get_ any tickets. Since then, they’ve been persistantly emailing me to let me know the qualifying round of the nose-picking event still has one ticket left, which could be mine for only £300. And today, they emailed me. The official, Lisa Simpson Blowjob Olympics ticket sales department emailed me. The title of the email? ‘You’re chance for Olympic Games tickets - Buy now‏’ ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/2 "2012-05-19T17:15:21Z")
Your [sic] upset because they made a grammatical mistake in the e-mail? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/3 "2012-05-19T17:25:57Z")
You are chance? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/4 "2012-05-19T17:26:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Your [sic] upset because they made a grammatical mistake in the e-mail? He’s a true Doper. Or possibly she. Who can tell on here? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/5 "2012-05-19T17:38:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Your [sic] upset because they made a grammatical mistake in the e-mail? I hate to nitpick but sic isn’t really appropriate unless your quoting. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/6 "2012-05-19T17:48:03Z")
I like the Olympics. That’s all I have to say. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/7 "2012-05-19T17:58:09Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > I hate to nitpick but sic isn’t really appropriate unless your quoting. False. “Sic” just means “thus.” It should be used to indicate that something unusual in the text was intended to be as it is. It need not be limited to quotations. Hey, its (sic) you’re (sic) fault: your (sic) asking for it by nitpicking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bilbo1967](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bilbo1967](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bilbo1967)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/8 "2012-05-19T18:04:38Z")
Can I counter-pit all the whinging, moaning nay-sayers who seem to be getting upset that it might take them a little longer to get somewhere for a couple of days of their miserable lives? If you’re that negative about everything, you should probably just stay at home - nobody wants to see your sour mug moping about the place bringing us all down. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/9 "2012-05-19T18:07:35Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > False. “Sic” just means “thus.” It should be used to indicate that something unusual in the text was intended to be as it is. It need not be limited to quotations. > > Hey, its (sic) you’re (sic) fault: your (sic) asking for it by nitpicking. 🙂 _Sick [sic] semper tyrannus_! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/10 "2012-05-19T18:32:52Z")
> [@Bilbo1967](#): > > If you’re that negative about everything… … just spend the summer posting here. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/11 "2012-05-19T18:41:28Z")
The cost to the country is projected to be around £11 billion. Given that, you’d sort of expect them to be able to afford someone who could tell the difference between “your” and “you’re”. It was the subject of the email, not hidden away in a block of text… Incidently, I’m not actually fussed about the traffic disturbance; I might even go out and watch some of the show they’re doing, especially as I actually happen to know a couple of the comperes who’re going round with it. I just saw no reason to ruin a good whinge. 😛 It is a bit unpopular locally though, after the committee held a vote for who should be doing the torch carrying, then ignored one of the winners; probably because he’s homeless. He’s a very friendly, cheerful, popular guy that sells [Big Issue](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Issue) magazine. It wasn’t a joke vote, but the Olympic committee apparently decided it was. Seems unnecessarily harsh to someone who has enough problems already. I _am_ pissed off about the ticket mess, budget (seeing as the country’s doing massive cuts in areas a bit more vital), and grammar, as well as the cancellation of something I was looking forward to. I realise I can’t really directly blame the Olympic committee for the last though. Pretty sure I’m a she btw. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/12 "2012-05-19T19:02:07Z")
Don’t worry, your (justified, IMO) indignation is [widely shared](http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=%22you're+chance+for+olympic+games%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=%22you're+chance+for+olympic+games%22&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvns&ei=s-23T9yDNIibgweh9ImuCg&start=0&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=72e94fd8b9c26ce4&biw=1299&bih=861). Whoever sent out that email is probably pretty red-faced by now. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/13 "2012-05-19T21:13:36Z")
It is the relentless nose-in-the-trough greed of all concerned (even peripherally) with this exhibition of drug-crazed cheats that gets me. Landlords doubling and tripling rents of people living within five miles of the stadium, people renting out their gardens by the square foot for tents, enforced changes or removal of logos of small businesses in the area because they are not ‘Olympic licensed’… And then there is [THIS!](http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/London-2012-Olympic-Torch-/270981379377?pt=UK_Sports_Memorabilia_ET&hash=item3f17bfb531):eek: It is enough to give a _non_-Olympian roid-rage!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/14 "2012-05-19T21:42:41Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > enforced changes or removal of logos of small businesses in the area because they are not ‘Olympic licensed’… Enforced by who? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/15 "2012-05-19T21:52:12Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > You are chance? I can haz chanz? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/16 "2012-05-19T21:55:16Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Enforced by who? By _whom_, you Philistine. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/17 "2012-05-19T22:05:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > By _whom_, you Philistine. :mad: Your taking this way to seriously. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/18 "2012-05-19T22:10:36Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Your taking this way to seriously. 🙂 Now your just nit-picklin’. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/19 "2012-05-19T22:32:33Z")
One picks nits. One does not pickle nits. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/20 "2012-05-19T22:34:40Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > One picks nits. One does not pickle nits. And what do you suppose one does with said nits once they are picked? You’re not goin g to tell me you eat them all right away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440.md?page=2)