I can remember how it felt during the 1970's Munich Olympics. Is was as if the entire world had stopped and taken time out to show every single event. To some extent thats the case, because with limited tv channels and dire programming what else could compete with it?

These days there's hundreds of tv channels with all sorts of specialised programming that wouldn't even consider showing olympic footage. Is that a good thing? I'm actually starting to wonder. The media hype about events like the olympics is however the usual baggage we have have to bear. There's so much money tied up in it now and the propaganda value isn't ignored by the nations involved. perhaps its this constant flag-waving that tires me out.

Don't get me wrong, its great to see Team GB (isn't that a little comercialised for what is supposed to be amateur participation?) raking in the medals and getting fourth place in the national league, but notice this is only happening because Britain is funding these people to train full time with professional assistance in much the same way as the nations ahead of us in the table.

There's been talk of drugs in sport and whether performance-enhancing chemicals will eventually see acceptability. I suspect the biggest drug of all will win out in the end. Its called Money.

Film of the Week

Already released in America is a feature film called Anti Social Behaviour, described as "Death Wish without guns". One man is spurred y conflict with out-of-control hoodlums to seek revenge against them dispensing vigilante 'justice'. As films go, its probably unremarkable apart from one small detail of interest to me.

It was filmed in my own home town. Dull old rainy Swindon. Thats about as far away from the bright lights of Hollywood as you can get.