Britain's one-eyed robot Olympic mascots: cute or creepy?

[Jenna]

They are of course London 2012's Olympic and Paralympic mascots -- Wenlock and Mandeville. And with the Games just days away you'd better get used to seeing a whole lot more of that giant eyeball.

With their metallic bodies, built-in cameras and sci-fi genetics, it's an ambitious design aimed at the digital age.

But does it work? Are these otherworldly creatures the cutting edge of design or just plain creepy?

Some adults aren't so convinced. When Wenlock figurines dressed in police uniforms appeared on Amazon, quick-witted reviewers saw it as an opportunity to deride the "creepy" toy.
"I bought this product amidst my keenness for the Games of the XXX Olympiad," one reviewer posted.
"However when it arrived it knocked down the door in a raid, pinned me down and falsely arrested me for conspiring a bomb plot for mass murder during this summer's sporting events."

More here: Olympic mascots: Cute or creepy? - CNN.com

London, the premiere panoptic city was one of the first to blanket itself with CCTV cameras; its heavy security and surveillance cordon is nicknamed the Ring of Steel. London decided to make its surveillance yen a dominant feature of its otherwise goofy mascots. “Wenlock” and “Mandeville” both have a huge single eye made out of a camera lens so that they can “record everything.” Image at right is from the official London Olympics website.

In case that’s too subtle for you, the Olympic organizers have offered a dress-up version of Wenlock in a policeman outfit.

More here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirh...ds-everything/

[Trojan 42]

Yep, aren't they pathetic.?

[Ducky]

Looks like a big toe. Or Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants.

[Odd]

Hopefully not from the same designer of the Edinburgh Marathon medals, though we may never know unless a mascot takes off its hat.