Britain awash in gloom

There are persistent complaints about the ticketing, worries over cost overruns, predictions of traffic gridlock and transportation chaos, threats of blood shortages, disease and strikes — even talk of drought.
British oddsmakers are even taking bets on everything that could go wrong. The Olympic flame will fail to arrive on time for the July 27 opening? That’s 66-1 at Ladbrokes. An athlete will miss the start of competition and cite transport problems as the reason? That’s 2-1. A power cut at the opening ceremony? That’s 25-1.
Britons have a reputation as natural-born grumblers who love nothing more than to complain, and the Olympics have proved to be a perfect outlet for naysayers and killjoys.
“This is very typical of the British mentality,” said Ellis Cashmore, a professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University. “There is a quite healthy recognition of our own limitations. There is a tradition in Britain to think, ‘Well, we really don’t do things that well, you know. If anyone can screw it up, the British can.’”
Many Londoners plan to leave town to avoid the whole thing, especially when they can cash in by renting out their homes or apartments for the Olympics.
“It’s going to be difficult getting in and out of the city centre during the games,” said Jason Hammond, a 45-year-old company director who lives in northwest London. — AFP.