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Feb 15, 10
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Feb 15, 10
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I'm really happy for Canada gold in mens moguls, however future looks bleak for any snowboarding action, while spectators are left hanging. So no, SEAN! Far from dope.
Weather forces organizers to cancel 8,000 snowboard tickets By Stephanie Levitz  VANCOUVER, British Columbia – As sports fans were cheering at the moguls course on Cypress Mountain on Saturday night, Games officials were over at the snowboard courses, frowning. Rain has washed away over a foot of snow at the general admission spectator area. Workers were falling into potholes and getting caught in the hay bales they used to build up the courses. Their decision was swift and firm: Close the area and give people back their money. So to those with tickets for the general admission areas on Monday and Tuesday for snowboard cross: Stay home. Though organizers had been trucking and flying in snow from all over the province to build the courses, those kind of measures aren't possible now that the Games are on. So they've got to save what snow they have for competition. Organizers are refunding around 8,000 tickets. At $50 a ticket, that's a $400,000 hole in their budget – not much in the context of the $260 million they hope to make from ticket sales, but a hole nonetheless. There's no word yet on how much all these problems overall at Cypress are costing the committee. Media are continuing to press Games officials on why they chose to have a Games in such a volatile venue. The answer keeps coming back that they knew they'd have weather issues – they just didn't expect them to be this big. Vancouver Organizing Committee spokesperson Renee Smith-Valade told reporters on Sunday: "Cypress is like your special child. Your special child that's bright and talented and good-looking and causes you all kinds of worries but they are still your special child. That's what Cypress is." Weather forces organizers to cancel 8,000 snowboard tickets - Fourth-Place Medal - 2010 Olympics Blog - Yahoo! Sports
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Feb 15, 10
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I can't help but wonder how many poor sods got scalped tix, and now they can only get face-value back. Just. Wow. Frosty (has sympathy for the competitors)
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Feb 15, 10
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harsh.
CBC News - British Columbia - U.K. press slams Canada's hosting of Games U.K. press slams Canada's hosting of Games Some British media are slamming Canada as being a bad Olympic host, with much of the criticism focused on its role in the death of the 21-year-old Georgian luger. A headline in the Daily Mail reads: "Canada's lust for glory is to blame for this senseless tragedy." It's a reference to the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, who was killed in a crash during a training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre in B.C. “Canada wanted to Own The Podium at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. This morning they can put their Maple Leaf stamp on something more instantly tangible: the nondescript little box carrying the lifeless body of Nodar Kumaritashvili back to his home in Bakuriani, Georgia,” wrote Martin Samuel of the Daily Mail. “Made in Canada, it should say. Made by the perversion of the Olympic movement for national gain; made by a culture of worthless aggrandizement and pride.” Samuel also accuses Canada of cheating, complaining that Canadian luge competitors practised more than 300 times on the luge course while other countries' athletes had a lot less access. Lawrence Donegan, of the Guardian, picks up on the same theme and points fingers at Canada for limiting access to facilities. “More immediate questions may be asked by the Canadians of themselves, who, in pursuit of their own Olympic dream … appear to have forgotten that national *characteristic for which they are best known: politeness,” the article states. “In the run-up to these Games, the hosts — or at least the Canadian Olympic Committee — seemed to have mislaid their manners. Money has been poured into training, while a hard-edged approach — albeit one within the rules of the Olympics — has been adopted in dealing with other teams, most noticeably in granting them only limited access to facilities such as the sliding track.” In another article, Donegan also suggests the somewhat cold response by some Canadian lugers to the death of Kumaritashvili is "another blow against [Canada's] reputation as the kindest, gentlest member of the Olympic community." In the British Times, sports writer Simon Barnes defends Canada from blame for the tragedy, but takes aim at the country’s Own the Podium slogan. “Their highly unpleasant Own the Podium program, in which they seek to exploit home advantage to the last nanosecond has alienated the world they are supposed to play host to,” he wrote. “Home athletes always have an advantage: getting ugly about it is neither necessary nor appropriate.” One article in the Telegraph states that: "Canada has been trying so hard to please, it hurts."
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Feb 16, 10
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Feb 16, 10
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Probably both. Most of it is in reference to the Canadian luge team, and their broken hearted look on their faces every time they went down the luge track. From qualifications until the final round they luged, if you will, almost out of fucking spite. Let's get this over with. These bros trained for months on end, starting from the very top of the track to only have Olympic officials give them their metaphorical castration, deemed their track unsafe, and made them start from the womens start line. Its as if our Canadian luge team almost resents having somebody die on their fucking luge track. Serious bummer bro. Well at least it appears that way to the rest of the Olympians and the world. Canadian media showed the clip of Nodar Kumaritashvili's body flying off his sled with a huge force of G's, flipped upside down while his head and neck took enormous impact from a barrier wall, as his flailing body jackknifes in half into an upright metal beam to end with him being motionless on the ground. Over and over again. Pretty fucking graphic. There should have been more respect shown to NK's family and the people of Georgia. "Own the podium" only added to that sentiment. Aiming hard to please? Ok I'm not too sure about that one. Maybe they mean the flash-mob guys dancing on Robson St or the extended bus hours. If you can add some positive to this you're more than welcome. Last edited by 'Los; Feb 16, 10 at 02:32 AM.
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Feb 16, 10
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Feb 16, 10
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Feb 17, 10
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Vancouver police charge three people after 2010 Heart Attack protest
By Staff The Vancouver Police Department issued the following statement on Sunday (February 14):  Seal hunt and climate change highlighted at Vancouver Olympic protest that turned ugly Police bring out heavy-duty weapons for Vancouver Olympic protest on day two Vancouver - Vancouver Police are announcing charges relating to the Heart Attack March protest yesterday in downtown Vancouver Saturday. Twenty-two year old Daniel Frederick Myers from Shoreline, Washington is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon. Myers is being detained relating to an immigration matter. Twenty-three year old Charlotte Christine Hannah of Vancouver is charged with assaulting a peace officer. Eighteen year old Willow Violet Louise Riley is charged with assaulting a peace officer. Two other men and two women in their late 20s were taken to jail for breach of the peace and released Saturday evening. Vancouver police charge three people after 2010 Heart Attack protest | Vancouver, Canada | Straight.com Last edited by 'Los; Feb 17, 10 at 01:48 AM.
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Feb 17, 10
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Check your tweets.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security snooping social media for Olympics info
By GILLIAN SHAW 15 FEB 2010 COMMENTS(8) DIGITAL LIFE Filed under: Vancouver, Twitter, Olympics, LA Times, Huffington Post, Vancity Buzz, United States Department of Homeland Security Don’t say anything online you wouldn’t want to read on the front page of the paper has been pretty much my stock answer for people wondering just who can access their social media musings. And now it should be added, don’t write anything about the Vancouver Olympics you don’t want to be sharing with the United States Department of Homeland Security. Not that this should come as news. Like anyone online, the government could at any time be tuning in to see what people are saying on various topics.  In its privacy impact assessment, the office of operations coordination and planning of the National Operations Centre said its 2010 winter Olympics social media event monitoring initiative will help the DHS in security, safety and border control with the Games. “The NOC is using this vehicle to fulfill its statutory responsibility to provide situational awareness and establish a common operating picture for the federal government, and for those state, local, and tribal governments, as appropriate, assisting with the security, safety, and border control associated with the Olympics,” the statement said. “OPS may also share information with international partners and the private sector where necessary and appropriate for security, safety, and border control coordination. “The NOC is only monitoring publicly available online forums, blogs, public websites, and message boards to collect information used in providing situational awareness and to establish a common operating picture.” If you’re worried your newest Twitter follower is a U.S. agent, the operations coordination and planning centre says it won’t be setting up user accounts to access information. While the agency didn’t list all the sites it is monitoring, among those on the list of examples it gave are Twitter, Vancouver’s Vancity Buzz blog and a a number of media outlets including the Huffington Post and the Los Angeles Times blog LA Now. U.S. Department of Homeland Security snooping social media for Olympics info - Digital Life
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Feb 18, 10
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YouTube - Why I Can't Celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Olympics
this fellow has the right idea. The Olympics so far have been a completely idiotic and disastrous waste of money. But so what right? we can all get drunk inside tents and run around crowded streets wearing cnd flags as capes right?
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Feb 18, 10
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^ Had a reaction to that video, here's my copypasta:
My main problem with this argument is that it assumes that money would have gone to those programs anyway, instead of tax cuts to the rich. Furthermore the current financial woes and funding slashes are more of a direct result of the recently fallen economy rather than the olympics, and to imply that they are somehow responsible is kinda naive. Not that I'm saying there isn't a problem with how much overrun the Olympics have made. I think that VANOC was disingenuous when they projected the costs, and the magnitude of how much it costs vs. what they projected is ridiculous. But it's not like any of the spending is really frivolous. The $900 million for security, for example... well, now that there have been violent protests all that they've done is prove that those costs were needed. I think there's way too much for-the-olympics vs. against-the-olympics rhetoric going around, and it's caused so much vitriol in the city it kinda disgusts me. There are good and bad sides to the Olympics, and everybody knew that this would happen. But right now is really NOT the time to be complaining about it. There was a referendum YEARS ago - back when we were able to pull out of it. Well, now we've committed to it, and there's not really much that talking about it and being an armchair economist can do for it. So let's use this chance that we have the world spotlight on us to show the world what an incredible part of the world we live in, and maybe we might see some influx and economic benefit from it in the future. Last edited by ebbomega; Feb 18, 10 at 02:12 PM.
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Feb 18, 10
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most of those kids don't even know what they're angry about, they just want to be anti-global without any focus or progressive ideas to further their cause. Instead they play the part and look to be smashed by a cop so they can have some sort of cred. It is down right embarrassing and a huge setback for anyone promoting certain changes to the way our country is being run.
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Feb 19, 10
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Oh, come fuckin ON!, Dave!!!
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No. Everybody did NOT know. Had more people been more informed, there's a good chance the games would be elsewhere. Vanoc lied. Plain and simple. They fudged the numbers and sold the public a bald-faced lie. If this were not the case, there would not be so many people admitting they'd not have supported the "bid". "But right now is really NOT the time to be complaining about it." Yes it is. It's precisely the right time to make it clear to the world just how pissed off many of the public are about being lied to. At the very least, it can serve as a red-flag to any other cities wanting to host this kind of event. "The $900 million for security, for example... well, now that there have been violent protests all that they've done is prove that those costs were needed." Rubbish! The costs were panic-mongering in regards to Iraq-style bombings/attacks. A few angst-ridden youth smashing a couple of windows downtown does NOT justify military-level surveillance. "There was a referendum YEARS ago - back when we were able to pull out of it." And people like me tried to tell as many other people as possible about the financial/social reality of what was to come. Again, if more people had known what was in store, the vote would have been very different. My arm is too tired to keep pointing @ Montreal. "So let's use this chance that we have the world spotlight on us to show the world what an incredible part of the world we live in, and maybe we might see some influx and economic benefit from it in the future." I am so sick of this argument being shoved in my face! The rest of the planet have been visiting us before this fiasco! I know. I've pointed dozens of lost/confused tourists to their desired destination over the years. Plus, "influx" and any economic "benefit" is measured in corporate bottom lines. Please cite some examples of benefits you, me, and that other guy are going to see in the future... After all, Canada, like so many other countries, offer sales-tax rebates to tourists. So, just _how_ are the public coffers being filled?.... Sorry, bro, but, there was just too much there I disagreed with. For the record, I have not participated in the Games or the protests. (Aside from getting front row leather couch seats in front of a large hd screen w/ no booze queue and state of the art ceiling sound system for a couple of hockey games. Brilliant location, actually...) Frosty (still might escape to Kelowna)
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Feb 20, 10
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Feb 21, 10
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We're drunks but this is facism really
Downtown liquor stores forced to close early - CTV British Columbia
(VIDEO INSIDE) Downtown liquor stores forced to close early Liquor stores in downtown Vancouver were forced to close their doors at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Vancouver Police Department asked the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch to order the early closings in an effort to curb the open consumption of liquor and public intoxication. "The Olympic fans aren't a problem for us, it's those who are coming into the city exclusively to get drunk." said Const. Jana McGuinness in a statement. "The strategy behind this is to stop the supply of alcohol to the streets. We are seeing people replenishing their stock at nearby liquor stores and then openly consuming the liquor in the streets." It remains to be seen whether early store closures will continue for the duration of the Games. "This is a temporary measure and must be reassessed on a day by day basis," McGuinness told ctvbc.ca. Premier Gordon Campbell told CTV News Saturday night that early closings were necessary. "There's a huge number of people downtown and we have to make sure everything goes well for everyone," he said. "I think an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." One liquor store owner told CTV News that the bulk of his business is from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. "I think it's going to be devastating to my business," said Mike Jahnke, owner of Jimmy's Cold Beer and Wine on Homer Street. Jahnke said it's unfair that the order only applies to licensed retail stores like his and not to other businesses, such as pubs with off-sale liquor. "We are definitely being singled out," he said. Downtown liquor store managers said they received notices from the province in writing and were visited by Vancouver police, as well. About 150,000 people were out on downtown streets Friday night following Jon Montgomery's win in the men's skeleton event, police have said. Many of the revelers were drunk, and some of them continued to openly drink liquor outdoors – a ticketable offence that carries a $230 fine. Last edited by 'Los; Feb 21, 10 at 08:23 PM.
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