Oops - the Olympics have gone all wobbly again. It seems a big part of our bid was an idea to fill an old ship full of tat and try and off load it on Johnny Foreigner:
sail an ocean-going clipper around the world, crewed by "young people, artists, philosophers and students"
Well we'd have added a sailor or two as well, but it did smell a little like Douglas Adams' idea to ship off all the middle-management types, hairdressers and telephone sanitisers. Anyway, like so many grand Olympic plans it's been downgraded. And bless their little five-ringed socks they are trying to make the best of it:
"The sentiment behind the original FriendShip proposal is still very much alive... This review includes considering whether a physical ship is the best way to meet these objectives."
So not a real ship then? Oh Christ almighty, we're all going on a virtual cruise:
It is thought that one option would be to press ahead with plans for a "virtual vessel", which would have "sailed" the internet in parallel with the real ship, forming the basis of a four-year education programme linked to the national curriculum.
There's the Olympic spirit right there. Instead of a triumphant return up the Thames we get the high pitched squeal of Seb Coe's 56k modem.
Maybe we can do the whole stupid games online and save everyone a lot of bother...
