Perfect Planning Could Prevent Piss Poor Performance....

From BBC News

Cost of 2012 Olympics 'up £900m'

The expected cost of the 2012 London Olympic park has risen 40% since the games were won in July 2005, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has told MPs

Well what a bloody surprise. Exactly what part of forward planning do the morons that organise these massive projects not understand?

Whether it's the new stadium at Wembley, The Channel Tunnel, The Eurostar Terminal, or the 2012 Olympics project, there's always one thing these super-projects have in common. They will go ridiculously over budget, every single time.

Is it really impossible for the planners of such projects to not factor in at least some level of inflation, added costs and good old common sense? Or are they actually just talking complete shite when they put the proposals on the table in an effort to pull the wool over the eyes of the rather dim witted taxpayers who usually end up footing the bills one way or another?

I don't want to see companies fined or punished for crashing mindlessly through these budget ceilings every time as some people suggest. I want to see them putting forward genuine budgets and timescales in the first bloody place, and I have a sneaking suspicion that may be what everyone (except those who's pockets the projects will line) wants to see too.

How about the government minister who gives the final go-ahead to a project, being personally responsible for any costs over those they tell the public at the time of conception? We may see a few less getting given the go-ahead with such total dishonest disregard for the truth.