heywood on 13/2/2010 at 19:07
Quote Posted by Keeper Mallinson
However, there's a reason we're angry, despite the bones thrown regarding assistance to the poor thereafter. The thing is, we already had such funding within our infrastructure until it was cut. We had within our guaranteed infrastructure assistance (of a steadily reducing amount) for those with developmental disabilities, for the financially disenfranchised and the addiction afflicted. When the economic crisis came, our government began a campaign they called the "belt-tightening": it was declared that we would restore our economy's strength by refraining from spending, and thereby have more in our coffers with which to heal our economy. Many believed this campaign, and we supported that government once again.
Then this principle was betrayed - either that or exposed as a carefully constructed lie - when it was suddenly declared that we would host the Olympics, thereafter, all the money taken (from continuously subjugated programs that once effectively sustained our cities and their welfare) was poured into this new glory-seeking project, in direct violation of the promise made by our government to keep it in the piggy-bank for tough times. All of a sudden it was believed that the restoration of our economic welfare would come from the infrastructure we would now be forced to create to maintain this gargantuan event.
I don't think that's a fair point, because the IOC awarded these games to Vancouver 7 years ago, long before the current economic crisis.
I agree that hosting the Olympics is a poor use of public funds that would be better spent on other economic development projects. Even in the best case, the ROI is poor compared to investing in academic institutions, attracting industry, or probably even arts & culture. I don't think the real motivation of host cities has anything to do with economics; it's more about civic pride, vanity, and wanting to be in the media spotlight.
But I don't sympathize much with Vancouver residents, and protesting your own opening ceremonies is crass. A better time for protest was 7 years ago when ~2/3 of the city voted in favor of the bid in a referendum. From what I read, Vancouver has been trying to host the Olympics since the 1960s. It got what it wanted.
PeeperStorm on 13/2/2010 at 19:54
Quote Posted by Keeper Mallinson
Too... soon.
Hey, you know my motto: Too soon, too fast, too much, too hard, and without lube.
According to an NPR report yesterday there have been a lot of complaints about about the safety of that particular track from athletes and others involved in the sport. Not just about the speed either, but also about the fact that it doesn't have the guardrails and other safety stuff that other tracks have.
Keeper Mallinson on 13/2/2010 at 22:14
Quote Posted by heywood
I don't think that's a fair point, because the IOC awarded these games to Vancouver 7 years ago, long before the current economic crisis.
I agree that hosting the Olympics is a poor use of public funds that would be better spent on other economic development projects. Even in the best case, the ROI is poor compared to investing in academic institutions, attracting industry, or probably even arts & culture. I don't think the real motivation of host cities has anything to do with economics; it's more about civic pride, vanity, and wanting to be in the media spotlight.
But I don't sympathize much with Vancouver residents, and protesting your own opening ceremonies is crass. A better time for protest was 7 years ago when ~2/3 of the city voted in favor of the bid in a referendum. From what I read, Vancouver has been trying to host the Olympics since the 1960s. It got what it wanted.
I see your point, but before there was a global crisis, there was big trouble locally here in British Columbia. His shenanigans really started back in 2001 (and if you'll remember we were having a serious recession then too), and he started removing funding everywhere. This is a long history in the making, and while you mention that a better time to protest was seven years ago, believe me... we did. We kept crying out for change, for him to stop, but he has a long history of ignoring us and then pretending the protests were a tiny minority. (And, when he responds to the concerns with anti-left rhetoric, it's very charismatic and intuitive. Those who help make policies (like my fiancee) know what he's really up to, and he's hidden it very effectively.) Even in 2001 I attended a protest of 25,000 people against his economic policies, and he took an impromptu trip to Washington that day.
So, while technically (democratically) we "got what [we] wanted", this was NOT the right time.
ercles on 14/2/2010 at 00:50
Quote Posted by Nicker
Meh!? K.D. Lang nailed a sublime version of "Hallelujah" to the friggin' cauldron, mate!
Listen you shrimp munching felon, if we want your opinion we'll ask Her Majesty to wrest one from you at gunpoint.
Someone's been watching too many "I believe" ads, it seems. GOOOOOOO CAAAAAAANADA!
Shame about the weather already fucking up the schedule.
Aerothorn on 14/2/2010 at 02:38
Why are the Olympics in February anyway? Isn't it colder in January?
Starrfall on 14/2/2010 at 04:43
Quote Posted by Keeper Mallinson
Too... soon.
Quote Posted by PeeperStorm
Hey, you know my motto
Maybe if canadians hadn't been so cheap about the olympics they could have afforded padding or something for the giant metal pole right outside of the sharpest turn of their dangerously fast luge track
or a maybe like a warning sign like "caution sharp turn"
ercles on 14/2/2010 at 05:38
Quote Posted by Aerothorn
Why are the Olympics in February anyway? Isn't it colder in January?
From my experience of skiing in West Canadian hills, the best skiing is usually right around now. Although there normally seems to be at least one cold snap in January, the snowbase isn't really there yet, so it can be a bit thin on the ground. Hills so close to the coast like Whistler and Cyprus are completely unpredictable though, it seems to either snow a lot or rain a lot there, so it can be terrific one week and completely bollocks the next. I was in Canada for December and January, and it was a weird season, as the snow base was decent, but there weren't any great powder days. It always seemed one good dump of snow away from being a decent season, as it stands now (my family's still on the snow) it's been one of the worst seasons in recent memory.
belboz on 14/2/2010 at 05:58
Apparently in england we've had more snow this year than the west coast of canada. Although in two years time theres the london olympics taking place, and the rest of the country in england feel like they've been left out. Although those people in london who lost there houses to the olympic stadiums also feel like they've been let down as well.
Keeper Mallinson on 14/2/2010 at 07:56
A couple things to say about the opening ceremonies.
First, I recommend to everyone who just heard Shane Koyczan for the first time at the ceremonies to look him up; because he has the most moving things to say I've ever heard. It's an honour to call him friend, because we all knew he would trumpet justice and peace and touch the heart of everyone who listened, so we pointed him towards the world and said, "Here; now listen." Buy his books, his CDs, go to his shows if he's nearby... because he will change you, and make you think, and touch your chest where your heart pumps blood, and you'll remember why. Heh, it's just awesome that I saw a billion people see him... this guy who snores and left his underwear on my couch when he needed a place to stay and accidentally left 20 CDs of his latest album and promises to come to my wedding and perform something embarrassing... life is good. We miss him; but he's become so successful that the world is borrowing him right now. One day he'll come back to us.
Second; I appreciate that they honoured the fact that Vancouver is actually part of First Nations land that was never actually bought; every non-aboriginal person is just a squatter. So for everyone who thought it was merely cheesy to have all that multiculturalism and that "the four tribes welcome you" stuff, that was at least a solute to thousands of barely heard voices who are the actual owners of this land. Good for that.
PS: Starrfall? Cheap? We cut funding for the homeless and for all arts for this. Our infrastructure is suffering. Yes, they could have spent that money on safety precautions, but that's a planning problem, not a public funding problem. Besides, how safe can a sport like that get. Don't blame us.
Swiss Mercenary on 14/2/2010 at 10:58
I live in Vancouver, and all I can say is fuck the Olympics.
It's not about the sport, and anyone who thinks it is... Is delusional. They are a shrine for corporate advertising - paid by taxpayer money. Nothing wrong with that - except for the latter part.
As for safety, the organisers fucked up - and not due to lack of funds. We're housing cops on cruise ships, for fuck's sake.
I'm so glad that our Glorious Planners are so eager to spend public funds on... You know... Fiscally responsible options.
Quote:
But I don't sympathize much with Vancouver residents, and protesting your own opening ceremonies is crass. A better time for protest was 7 years ago when ~2/3 of the city voted in favor of the bid in a referendum. From what I read, Vancouver has been trying to host the Olympics since the 1960s. It got what it wanted.
Yeah, I know, we served ourselves, here. Then again, nobody bothered to contemplate that the budget just might go out of control.
Nobody though about the hidden costs, either - construction costs sky-rocketed over those 7 years. Municipalities in the GVRD got hit hard, as prices for patching up roads, bridges, and so forth, nearly doubled.
