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Whether we like it or not, the Olympic Games are coming to the UK in 2012. Many people think that the Olympic Games are a waste of money, but I only partly agree. I don’t have any doubts that the games will be fantastic for the few short weeks they are on, and I look forward to watching the events (hopefully live if I can get some tickets), but there are issues with the money spent.

One of the justifications given for the large amount of money spent on the games is that the extra facilities will go towards developing young athletes for many years to come, not just the games itself. This is obviously true, but only the most privileged athletes or those living in the immediate area will be able to use the facilities regularly. The average child who loves sport will still end up using the outdated and in some cases dangerous facilities that we have now.

Take football for example. Fans of the England team often wonder why other countries have more technically gifted players, but to me the reason is obvious. If you look at pitches for youngsters in the UK, the vast majority are a disgrace. They are usually covered in patchy grass, and either waterlogged or bumpy depending on the season. Developing players in this environment is never going to allow them to develop their technical skills, as the team with stronger, bigger players will invariably win. Skill levels usually take a back seat, as trying to pass the ball around ends up in frustration and a lost game.

Not only that, but often development of football pitches for youth teams is blocked at every turn. County councils tend to want to avoid spending money on upgrading football pitches and increasing drainage facilities, and the end result is a constant deterioration of the playing surface. The weather in the UK obviously doesn’t lend itself to flat and dry pitches all year round, but there are certainly things which could be done to improve the situation.

Cricket pitches are marginally better, but the facilities are still not great. In America, for example, there are endless places that people can go to practice baseball against a machine at any time of the day. In the UK, most teams don’t even have a bowling machine, and the ones that do can usually only use it once or twice a week. Again, this is not the best way to develop talent.

I can only imagine what could have been achieved if the millions spent on the Olympics was spent on grass roots facilities for children and anyone else who wants to take up a sport. Not only would we produce more top quality athletes, but the general health of the population would surely increase. The Olympics are a great event, and I’m sure they will inspire more people to take up sports, but if the grass roots facilities aren’t there then it’s only ever going to be a short term effect.

Tags: Olympics, rant, sport

There’s been a lot of fuss in recent weeks about the new Medal of Honour game, which allows you to play as the Taliban. Until recently, EA, the company behind the game, actually allowed players to choose to play as the Taliban in game, but because of media pressure they changed the name to the “Opposition”. Even so, the game has been constantly in the news, and there have been calls to ban it.

Personally, I think the fuss is exactly what EA wanted, and the media should know better than to make a big deal of it. While it’s not in good taste –especially with soldiers still being killed by the real Taliban – the reality is that whenever a game receives negative attention like this it always sells better. The same happened with the Grand Theft Auto series and the controversial game Bully. Most of the time the media makes a fuss when it doesn’t really understand the game, but I can see the problem in this case.

The real problem is that Medal of Honour is now going up against Call of Duty which has become a much more popular series. EA had to do something to take the attention away from the new CoD, so it decided to do something controversial. The game itself is meant to be a solid return to the series, but nothing special, and certainly not good enough to warrant this kind of media attention.

So, will I be getting the game? I rarely buy games anymore, and I won’t be buying the new Medal of Honour. I’ll take a good look at Call of Duty, because I think it will be a much better game. The thought of playing as the Taliban isn’t something that I particularly want to do, and it seems like that’s the main feature of the game.

Tags: medal of honour, media

I’ve often wondered, what is the best pet to keep in a flat? Obviously, bigger pets like a cat and dog are not possible, but smaller caged animals can often work well. Here are a few different types of pets that I would consider getting for a flat, along with why I think they would be a good/bad idea. If I’m wrong or you have anything to add, please use the comments form to let me know!

Fish

Fish make the perfect pets in some ways – low maintenance, quiet and they don’t smell if you clean them out regularly. The downside is that you don’t get any physical interaction with them, and the more exotic fish can be expensive to keep. Goldfish don’t require specialist equipment, but tropical fish need heaters etc to stay healthy. Overall though, I think fish are good pets to keep in flats.

Hamsters

The great thing about hamsters is that they are small, don’t require as much maintenance as other larger parts and you get physical interaction. The downside is that it’s hit or miss whether you get a good one or not. If your hamster doesn’t learn to like being picked up, then the constant sharp bites might become a little tiring! If they are handled from a young age, hamsters can make great pets though, and are perfect for flats where there isn’t much room.

Guinea Pigs

Many people think of guinea pigs as outdoor animals, but the truth is that they prefer to be kept indoors because they find large changes in temperature difficult. In general, guinea pigs are kind pets that are gentle and easy to keep. To begin with though, a pair of guinea pigs can fight for dominance, which can be distressing to watch. Usually this kind of conflict resolves itself, but in some cases two guineas just don’t get along.

One thing to keep in mind with guinea pigs is that they shouldn’t be left alone. They are sociable animals that require a lot of attention, but they are also delicate which means that they may not be suitable for young children to hold.

What do you think? Do you keep a pet in a flat? If so, what do you keep?

Tags: flat, hamsters, pets