Visa for the Olympic Games Tickets

You'll need a visa to get in!

Those who want to come to the 2012 Olympic Games and live abroad may well need a visa to get into Britain. Fair do's, really. However, what is not fair is that Visa, the credit/debit card operator, which has become a sponsor of the games, is dictating which credit cards you can use. Theirs! And theirs alone, it seems.

I spotted a group on Facebook calling itself  "Olympic Visa Boycott". They are campaigning for a change to sponsorship arrangements

"If you want to go to the London Olympics in 2012, you won't be able to buy tickets using any credit or debit card other than Visa. While you're there, you won't be able to use any other card to pay for food, souvenirs, etc.


The reason for this is that Visa is one of the main Olympic sponsors, and has done a deal to exclude other card handlers from anything related to the Olympics.


We believe this is unfair, unreasonable and entirely unjustifiable. There's nothing wrong with commercial sponsorship of sporting events whereby the sponsor gets exposure of their brand in return for the organiser getting money. But sponsors should not be able to dictate what the fans can and cannot do. Whether it's the credit card you use, the clothes you wear or the food you eat, the sponsors have no moral right to override your choice."

Like them, I'm perfectly happy in a commercial world for companies to sponsor people, games, events, etc. But to put people to the inconvenience of not being able to use a credit/debit card simply because it is a competitor's is simply wrong. It is moral blackmail. This happened in South Africa with the football World Cup with assorted merchandisers. It is an insidious, invidious thing!

I believe in free enterprise. My blog is here so I can say things against covert corporate sleaze and wrongdoing, often done in total opposition to free enterprise and entrepreneurship. This action is anti-competitive, it is undemocratic too. Why? Because Visa are denying choice in the market place. In order to purchase merchandise at the event, you have to have either cash about your person or a Visa card of some sorts. If you dare to have a MasterCard on you, do the remnants of the Stasi get overtime bonuses whilst they root out the offending cards?

Lord Coe should come clean now. Is this what we want in a sporting venue? Anti-competitive, self-interested monopolising of commercial activity by secret agreement!


Visa had a glitch!

Uncle Sam's got more paperwork!

Christopher Columbus only had to contend with crossing the Atlantic ocean. We on the other hand have to contend with crossing the I's and dotting the T's otherwise "it's on your bike, mate!" at the immigration lines.

On Monday, if you are travelling into the United States, you will need to have completed an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form, which will give the American authorities all they need to know about you.

According to the Daily Mail, the move to more form-filling is likely to frustrate holiday firms, travel agents and holidaymakers - particularly elderly travellers less at ease with computers. They expect chaos! The changes have not been widely publicised beyond the embassy website. So I'm doing my bit, although it's somewhat late in the day.

Rick Galbraith, of the customs and border protection office at the U.S. Embassy, said, "Esta will not be optional - it will be required before they get on that plane." Which will be they won't get on the plane if they haven't got it..

Travellers will have to state whether they have a range of communicable diseases - including some sexually transmitted diseases and TB - any mental or physical disorders, and whether or not they are drug abusers or drug addicts. I can't believe those suffering from a mental breakdown brought about by the credit crunch are going to admit it on a form. Kind of double whammy. And are all those suffering from "unmentionable diseases" going to admit to anything? I've not seen the form, but it's all a bit iffy in the knowledge department. I wonder if Al Quaeda operatives have any sexually transmitted diseases. Nutcases and fruitcakes, yes, but that is already known.

The rules state: 'If your admission is denied, you have no right to appeal.' Well, Big Brother speaks. He should set up home with Big Sister!