The Olympic Winter Games Experience

[vaporize]

i hope there are plenty of drunk foreigners to ons with

['Los]

Originally Posted by R Wellbelove

According to one of my Sociology professors, the government re-opened River View and can either force the homeless to go if temperature are below 0 or bribe them with free food/shelter. Its ironic because many of the mentally ill on the streets where kicked out of River View when the government decided to closed it down years ago... and now they conveniently decided to open it up again the same year as the Olympics?

Maybe we should host more international events to ensure our government will take social responsibility for the homeless more often.

Bullshit. Riverview never closed, the amount of beds was greatly reduced by the BC Liberals when they pulled funding from there years ago. They only have really sick people in there right now, with over half of the building being unused. I know a psychiatric nurse that's worked there for 13 years.

Social irresponsibility more like it. Why sweep everything under the rug at the last minute? Makes no sense at all.

['Los]

Originally Posted by R Wellbelove

I dont know what is the big deal about "airport-style security?" If you go to any popular tourist attraction/event anywhere else in the world, its common to go through metal detectors, scanners, and be searched like you're about to go onto a plane. Not to mention massive delays on transportation. Expect to be treated like cattle, thats how they treat football fans in Europe.

The only problem I fore see is that Vancouver/Canadians have no idea what is to come, are panicking, complaining, and dont like the fact that our quint little city is now being run like New York or London.

BUT THATS WHAT BIG EVENTS DO TO CITIES!!!

Football hooligans are savages pretty much. Totally agree.

['Los]

Overzealous security clampdown on photography around Olympic venue in Vancouver
Streets and sidewalks around Vancouver Olympic Centre declared no-photo zone
By Stephen Hui




You can’t take photographs from the streets or sidewalks surrounding the Vancouver Olympic Centre, despite the fact they are public property.

At least that’s what this Georgia Straight journalist was told this morning (February 9) on three occasions while circumnavigating the 2010 Olympics’ curling venue at Hillcrest Park, before being escorted across the street for standing in an unfenced but apparently closed area.

The first incident occurred as I was taking pictures of video surveillance cameras located just behind the Olympic security fence along the Ontario Street sidewalk. A yellow-jacketed man behind a gate told me that objects inside the fence were off-limits for photography. I told him I was on public property and continued down the sidewalk.

A few minutes later, as I snapped shots of people gathered at an entry point along the fence, one of them approached me. He said he was from Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, and he didn’t think I could take photos there due to “security reasons”.

When I told him I was on public property and from the Straight, he didn’t push the issue. He and his firefighting colleagues were there to take a tour of the venue, where a few of them will be stationed during the Games.

I continued walking around the fence to where it lines Midlothian Avenue, which is closed to vehicle traffic. As I aimed my camera at the media entry gate, I noticed a woman with a safety vest approaching me. Her accreditation badge identified her as an Olympic transportation attendant. I hit the record-video button on my camera.

“We’re actually closed right now,” she said. “So, all photography is actually not allowed.”

According to the attendant, although I was standing outside the fence, I was still within the security “perimeter”. I asked her where the boundary was, and she pointed to the grass of Queen Elizabeth Park on the other side of the street.

I observed that, as we spoke, a woman was walking down Midlothian. (Earlier, I had seen several other people strolling down the street without any interference.)

“Yeah, she is, but she also doesn’t have a camera,” the attendant said. “I’m sorry, I was just given strict instructions on photography.”

Then she said, “Sorry, I’ll just have to escort you out.”

As we walked up the street, she said Midlothian will be open to accredited media during the Games, when more security will be present.

“It’s just a little bit more of a strict guideline with the Olympics around, so we have to follow protocol,” she said.

After I arrived at work today, I called Rob Holmes, president of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, for his thoughts on my experience. According to the lawyer, there’s no good reason why I couldn’t stand outside an Olympic fence and take pictures.

“I think it’s not the best start to the Olympic season if they’re doing that kind of stuff,” he said by phone. “The fact is that you’re entitled to take pictures of whatever you can see from a public place.”

Holmes argued that it’s important for citizens not to stay silent about run-ins with overzealous Olympic personnel.

“As our mothers used to say, you’re not supposed to be good just when somebody’s looking,” Holmes said. “So, it’s important that this be brought to the attention of the people who are in charge, so that they can actually show some managerial control over what’s going down on the ground.”

You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.

See also: Photos: Olympics bring security checkpoints, fences, and closures to Vancouver

Overzealous security clampdown on photography around Olympic venue in Vancouver | Vancouver, Canada | Straight.com

Makes absolutely NO sense at all.

[Revolver]

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. THE OLYMPICS ARE DISGUSTING EXCEPT FOR THE OPIATE FREE EVENTS

seriously.

the olympics. what a fucking farce. makes me sick.

BUUUT!!


all of the really neat art installations and the overall feeling of "wow cool" is a good "temporary" thing.

Its just a shame that the people who actually live, and have generations of family, here are going to have to be paying for all this fucking bullshit for years to come.

I want to hate so much...but it IS such a neat feeling downtown at the moment :)

[stephen_c]

come on ppl, let's see some flippin lympic spirit. (not whiskey)

gimme an O...
gimme a L...


.

[rawb]

trying to figure out if i will be Canada Chicken or Canada Teen Wolf over the next few weeks at the events. Leaning towards Chicken as im out of wolf facial hair.

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by rawb

trying to figure out if i will be Canada Chicken or Canada Teen Wolf over the next few weeks at the events. Leaning towards Chicken as im out of wolf facial hair.

oh for sure the Canada chicken!

be sure to have plenty of time alloted for your bomb checks and strip searches.

[rawb]

when i went to get a sandwich last night i noticed two cops walking into a tim horton's, most people think they wanted to get coffee but me and you know it was TO OPPRESS THE TIMBITS HELD INSIDE

[gnosis]

Anyone know how Panama is these days?...

Frosty
(starting to look @ last-minute pkg deals)

[SEAN!]

Originally Posted by ebbomega

... which I'm sure they purchased all of specifically for the olympics.

nah, they've been using G-wagens in the CF for 15 years, usually have a grenade launcher or machine gun on the top though.

[SEAN!]

Originally Posted by 'Los

Bullshit. Riverview never closed, the amount of beds was greatly reduced by the BC Liberals when they pulled funding from there years ago. They only have really sick people in there right now, with over half of the building being unused. I know a psychiatric nurse that's worked there for 13 years.

Social irresponsibility more like it. Why sweep everything under the rug at the last minute? Makes no sense at all.

It was the NDP who pulled the mental health funding for river view in the early 90's. They wanted the disabled to be more integrated with society but they never built the infrastructure for it. If your going to open your mouth check your facts.

[gnosis]

The end result is a human tragedy.

When Riverview closed East Lawn, West Lawn and Crease Clinic, the residents got on the nearest bus that dumped them around Hastings and Main.

When Woodlands did the same, the residents hopped a bus that took them to Lower New Westminster.

There's been talk for years of re-opening the buildings as shelters w/ in-house counselling to get people on their feet.

...

Wasn't that what those places were supposed to be doing in the first place?...

Frosty
(knows about Crease Clinic)

['Los]

Originally Posted by SEAN!

It was the NDP who pulled the mental health funding for river view in the early 90's. They wanted the disabled to be more integrated with society but they never built the infrastructure for it. If your going to open your mouth check your facts.

Alrigth, all based on memory I was 9. NDP, Liberals none of them have benefited social housing or mental health, they have only caused damage. Now you'll have cuts to public education and 2% increase tuition at UBC. Wtf is going on here?

['Los]

Olympic Blues

['Los]

Anti-Olympics rioters smash store windows
Last Updated: Saturday, February 13, 2010 | 12:57 PM PT
CBC News

Anti-Olympics protesters smashed windows as they marched through downtown Vancouver on Saturday morning. (CBC)
A group of more than 200 masked protesters smashed windows, vandalized cars and newspaper boxes and intimidated pedestrians in downtown Vancouver Saturday morning, before being confronted and dispersed by police in riot gear.

The anti-Olympics protesters, many dressed in black balaclavas and masks and carrying a ladder, smashed up to three windows at the Hudson's Bay store and one at the Toronto-Dominion Bank near the intersection of Granville and West Georgia streets.



The group also sprayed the windows with red paint and threw marbles and spat at police before marching down West Georgia Street toward the Bayshore Hotel in Coal Harbour where the International Olympic Committee members are staying.

Retreating protesters use a ladder to form a barricade as police follow them through downtown Vancouver streets. (CBC)
But as the marchers neared the hotel they were turned back by the Vancouver Police Department crowd control unit and the 2010 Integrated Security Unit at the Cardero Street intersection.



The protesters were also involved in several confrontations with supporters of the Olympic Games.

At least one protester was arrested and at one point part of the group was encircled by police at the intersection of the Robson and Jervis Streets in the downtown area.

A protester kicks at police as they arrest one of the protesters Saturday morning in Vancouver. (CBC)
But by noon, the rest of the protesters had been largely dispersed by police, although some of the protesters said they planned to regroup later in the day.



Meanwhile Translink, the Vancouver transit agency, said it was forced to close the Lions Gate Bridge to traffic in both directions because of a serious accident, but the bridge was reopened at 11:30 a.m. PT.



Read more: CBC News - British Columbia - Anti-Olympics rioters smash store windows

['Los]

[gnosis]

Just got back from doing a booze-run.

Downtown is a fucking shit-show!

Opening Ceremonies: Riot
Check.

Day 1: Riot
Check.

Day 2?...

...this could get good...

Frosty
(orders in pizza)

[vaporize]

the world is coming to an end

[SEAN!]

i saw that olympic 'riot' about a hundred scrawned out, disaffected teenage pussies surrounded by close to a thousand police, anyone a few blocks away wouldn't have even known they were there.

in short olympics=dope, protesters=goofs, people like gnosis=hypersensitive, reactionary, worry warts who have a hard time accepting life

[rawb]

the video on the ctv site really shows how well trained the police are at not being provoked by those protesters who choose to be huge asshats. that billion dollars bought a lot of media awareness.

in other news, holy shit it's a nuthouse downtown. i swear this intersection was empty 4 minutes before this was shot, for the rest of the night shoulder to shoulder people in every direction for at least half a block.

[rawb]

and can we all agree not to politicize the death of the luger? jesus christ.

[gnosis]

Canada 18 - 0 Slovakia

HOLY SHIT!!!

Canadian girls KICK ASS!!!!

Frosty
(gives SEAN the finger)

['Los]

Originally Posted by rawb

the video on the ctv site really shows how well trained the police are at not being provoked by those protesters who choose to be huge asshats. that billion dollars bought a lot of media awareness.

True enough. I don't agree with what these protesters are doing. Its down right embarrassing for the city. Harassing tourists? Its straight up fucked. Unfortunately, we have not seen the last of these fools yet.

[gnosis]

^Des agents provocateurs?...
Or truly pissed off citizens?
I've no respect for them.

Peacefull protest, yes.
Violence, no.

Big UP a Jennifer!!!
Way to rock that Silver!!!

Those chicks' knees are going to be SO trashed...

Frosty
(still in town)