The Party's Over

[ferri]

i got this in my email today.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=54484.html

[MJC83]

Haha, why am I not surprised that the aftermath of the Olympics would bring 12 pages of bitching and complaining? It's so hard pressed to find anyone positive on these forums. Wah wah wah. Man, you guys complain allot.

Why should you be surprised? We said this would happen day one. We continued to say it as the costs went up. We continued to say it as the slow train wreck took place. Now we are saying see, what we said would happen is happening. It's called consistency.

Now right back at you. Why am I not surprised that some of the same koolaid drinkers praising the games and all the benefits they were brainwashed into believing by the media are now complaining about all the budget cuts and little cost of living increases showing up here and there. And this is just the beginning. The fact all this is hitting basically the day after the Olympics ends means it's going to be pretty bad.

Haha, brainwashed koolaid drinkers? Wow you got some imagination. I didn't even watch much of the build up to the games let alone "believe" in any benefits it would bring. I watched the games themselves because I'm a sports fan and a Canadian. I wanted to cheer on my country while enjoying sports from the top athletes around the world. And of course I wanted to cheer on my Canadian hockey boys. I can guarantee you that's what 99% of all the people who watched the games watched for. To cheer on their country. To enjoy the sports and to watch the athletes perform on the biggest stage of their careers. Not because they were "brainwashed"...And do a search of my posts, you won't find any of me complaining about budget cuts or the cost of living.

Haha, I'm willing to bet the bitchers and complainers were those people who went to highschool and sat out during sportsgames. Or when their family was cheering on the hockey game they were sittin' by themselves on the 'net.

[steven lloyd]

i got this in my email today.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=54484.html

It seems that after a (very?) shakey start we managed to make a real impact as good hosts. I guess we should be proud of more than just our athletes. Who knows ? Maybe even ben and Captain managed to impress some visitor (or visitors) while they were down there.

[Captain Awesome]

Yes. But being an elite member of our society, I didn't really mix with peasants!

[steven lloyd]

Yes. But being an elite member of our society, I didn't really mix with peasants!

Well I guess when you're a Captain and all

(Maybe that's why you failed to scalp tickets to the gold game?)

[Captain Awesome]

Well, my VanOC friends are not THAT friendly!

[Type_O]

Sent into the Toronto Sun, the letter of the day, March 2, 2010:

You can consider this is my love letter to Canada.

The United States and Canada are inextricably linked — not only in the gold medal game in hockey, but on the battlefields of Afghanistan and on the training fields of both our countries. We are both great democracies that inspire people from around the world and we are both magnets for immigrants. And we are both willing to fight when fighting needs to be done.

I first visited Canada with my family in the late 1970s. We crossed into Canada from upstate New York, hit Montreal, then drove along the river and crossed back into New York.

I grew up, went to university and then into the Army.

After Desert Storm was fought while I was in Korea, I went to Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was tagged to host a group of Royal Canadian Air Cadets out of Mississauga. A great group of folks with whom I visited on and off over a couple of years in the early ’90s — including one night wandering around a snowy Canadian training area, wondering how embarrassing it would be for an American Army Officer to freeze to death in Canada while hanging out with a bunch of Canadian high school kids.

After marriage, my wife and I vacationed with our baby daughter and my parents in Nova Scotia, where we saw one of the great intersections of American and Canadian history. We visited a site where Canadians had repulsed American privateers and I saw tributes to Loyalist Colonists who left Massachusetts and settled in Nova Scotia.

That was interesting, though not interesting enough for my wife to forgive me for trapping her in a minivan with her in-laws. But it was not as inspiring as the people of Nova Scotia caring for the thousands of people stranded at the Halifax airport on Sept. 11, 2001.

After tours in Bosnia, Kuwait and in Iraq, I found myself at Fort Irwin, California, with a group of Canadian Army officers and non-commissioned officers who were helping us train American soldiers en route to Afghanistan — and renewing my admiration for our northern neighbour.

These were proud representatives of Canada’s bravest — men and women who had fought the hardest of fights in Afghanistan and who had spilled blood, their own and that of the enemy. They brought their lessons and they freely gave of their experiences which in turn broadened the training for these Americans who are engaged in the same cause.

I don’t speak for all Americans, but I’m sure I speak for most — we are humbled by the burden Canada has born in this war in Afghanistan, and we are honoured by her sacrifice. We serve shoulder to shoulder in this war against extremism. We honour the Canadians killed on Sept. 11, 2001, and the 140 Canadians who have given their lives in Afghanistan. We, as Americans, are lucky to have such a neighbour.

So, congratulations on your record-breaking gold medals in Vancouver — and even on the hockey gold. Well done.

Patrick Donahoe

Colonel

United States Army

[RR24K]

Yes. But being an elite member of our society, I didn't really mix with peasants!

Well I guess when you're a Captain and all

(Maybe that's why you failed to scalp tickets to the gold game?)

I did not need to do that. Purchased mine the moment they went on sale and what a game.

[NAB]

Some interesting Olympics spending stats that one could read a lot into.
*******************************
Olympic visitors spent big bucks
Data suggest Vancouver, Whistler sales up 48%
Consumer spending in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., increased 48 per cent during the Olympics, credit card processing firm Moneris Solutions reported Thursday.

Souvenir sales during the Feb. 12 to 28 Winter Games increased almost four times over almost the same period in 2009, while bars and pubs saw a 130 per cent increase. Clothing sales almost doubled.
Chinese visitors were the biggest international spenders in Vancouver and Whistler during the Olympics, paying on average $423 per transaction. (CBC)

International shoppers accounted for 22 per cent of all transactions, with Americans doing 9.15 per cent of the spending.

Chinese visitors were the biggest spenders, paying on average $423 per transaction. Russians followed at $236, while the Swiss spent $140.

Transactions soared on the day Alexandre Bilodeau skied his way to Canada's first gold medal, and the first ever for a Canadian on home soil, rising 117 per cent over the year earlier. And the day that Canadian ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won gold, the number of sales rose 127 per cent.

But during the men's gold-medal hockey game last Sunday, spending fell 41 per cent compared to the same time slot during the previous five days.

Moneris compiled the data and compared retail sales in Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 12-28 this year, with those from Feb. 13-March 1, 2009. It didn't include gasoline sales.

Moneris is the country's largest debit and credit card processor.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... z0hEFFcbe2
--

[Urbane]

The question "Was it worth it?" will be hotly debated for years but after reading this even the cynics will admit that many of the dire predictions beforehand didn't come true and we're left with some tangible things for the future:

Canwest News Service

Build for years, host for weeks, compete for seconds, coexist with the legacy -positive or negative -for decades. When a city hosts the Olympics, it signs up to live with an inheritance that lingers many times longer than the Games last in the first place. B.C. has built venues and transportation infrastructure that will last 60 years or more (as IOC president Jacques Rogge said); the question is whether the price was worth it. Vancouver taxpayers take to the starting line already $1-billion behind thanks to cost overruns and the effects of the recession on one project alone, the Olympic Village in the False Creek area. The final cost of the 2010 Games will be difficult to tally in the short term. Here is our survey of the principal 2010 venues -what they cost, how they held up for the Olympics and how they’re supposed to benefit B.C. in the future.

OLYMPIC VILLAGE

Cost About $1-billion

Before the Games The real estate development industry provided the city with an Olympic Village plan that seemed too good to be true, and was. A development firm would finance and build the village on a desirable piece of city-owned, formerly industrial land. After the Games, the developer would convert the accommodations into luxury condominiums and pay the city for the property. Vancouver would get its village and turn a profit as well. But cost overruns, combined with the 2008 credit crisis, destroyed the financing. The city had to obtain special permission from the province to borrow $434-million to complete the village. In all, the city is responsible for about $1-billion in development costs, a situation that lowered its credit rating.

During the Games While 100,000 free condoms had been provided to the roughly 7,000 athletes and officials staying at the village — about 14 condoms per person — the Village ran out of prophylactics on Day 13, forcing an emergency restocking.

After the Games The Vancouver Olympic Village will transform an industrial wasteland into a showcase of sustainable living for about 3,000 people after the Games. The 1,100 units will anchor a mixed-income community that will include shopping, services and parks. If you’re one of the buyers, just make sure you give everything a good scrub before you settle in. (See paragraph immediately above.) IOC meddling Tried to prevent Australians from flying boxing kangaroo flag here; later relented.

OLYMPIC/ PARALYMPIC CENTRE

Cost $39.05-million so far, $85.45-million in total

During the Games The 6,000-seat venue in the Riley Park neighbourhood hosted the men’s and women’s curling tournaments.

After the Games Will have an aquatics centre added to it, plus a community centre and a rink. More money will have been spent on these “legacy” portions of the complex than on its original curling function.

CANADA PAVILION

Cost $10-million

Before the Games Designed as a place for people to gather, for free, and watch events on big-screen TVs and look at exhibits of Canada’s sporting history. Pavilion is decried for essentially being a prefabricated shed (and built by a U.S. company to boot), and thus a failed opportunity for Canada to demonstrate panache in erecting cool temporary gathering places. During the Games Thronged by at least 10,000 visitors each day after it opened, the Pavilion may not have been pretty, but it was popular.


After the Games Pavilion disappears, as do other temporary celebration venues erected on the cracked asphalt of a parking lot at Cambie and Dunsmuir streets.

SEA-TO-SKY HIGHWAY

Cost $600-million

Before the Games Residents along highway’s length complained that the lack of U-turn gaps in the medians meant long disruptions for motorists in the event of accidents. During the Games Traffic on the highway has generally not been an issue. After the Games According to the British Columbia government, the upgraded Sea-to-Sky will increase the provincial GDP by up to $300-million by 2025, while carrying at least 50% more cars 15 years from now.

IOC meddling Committee members openly fretted that the expansion of the highway linking West Vancouver and Whistler via Squamish would not be ready on time; raised spectre of snarled traffic plaguing the Games.

RICHMOND OVAL

Cost $178-million

Before the Games Speed skating venue was built using pine beetle-infested wood on alluvial soil, which carries risk of the building sinking; not to mention the challenge of building an ice rink in the humidity of a sea-level position in one of the warmest parts of the country. And for all this, the Oval has been hailed for its architectural inventiveness and grace.

During the Games Deposits of ice and slush were plunked about the arena by “green” ice resurfacing vehicles, whose malfunction nearly postponed the men’s 500-metre race. After the Games Will be converted to a multi-use sports complex, while retaining ability to be converted to a competition venue for speed skating.

WHISTLER SLIDING CENTRE

Cost $105-million

Before the Games In 2008, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation sends a seven-nation team of athletes to test and evaluate track; International Luge Federation sends 15 athletes from five countries, led by eventual 2010 women’s luge gold medallist Tatjana Hufner. The track’s speed is noted approvingly. Later, some athletes complain the track is too fast. During the Games Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili suffers fatal crash on track during a training run on the day of Opening Ceremonies. After the Games Will host World Luge Championships in 2013. IOC meddling Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee president, says the IOC accepts “moral responsibility” for Mr. Kumaritashvili’s death, but also asks Russians to build a safe track for the Games in Sochi, subtly implying that perhaps host Canada (as opposed to the luge and bobsledding federations) is responsible for the accident.

CANADA LINE (SKYTRAIN)

Cost $2.05-billion

Before the Games When it opened last August, the Canada Line gave Vancouver something Toronto and Montreal don’t have: a cheap-to-use, rapid rail link from the airport to downtown.

During the Games Between the rush of visitors and the fact that Vancouverites were officially encouraged not to drive, patronage of the Canada Line re than doubled, from 94,000 to 207,000 riders per day, by the middle of the Games.

After the Games Skeptics had warned that the public-private partnership model used to construct the Canada Line could see TransLink on the hook if ridership projections fell below 90% of expected tallies. However, more riders than expected have made the new SkyTrain line a habit.

[Queen K]

Urbane, I have to hang on to the tangibles for all their worth. Thanks for the reminder.

[Urbane]

An interesting perspective..

"In these Olympics, Canadians only paid attention to Canada"

""VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- After a spirited torch relay ignited pride in every corner of the country, the Olympic Games began and quickly galvanized the nation.

Flags were everywhere. The country's national symbol hung from windows and was worn on nearly everyone's clothing.

Fervent crowds cheered every victory by the host nation.

But enough about the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

At the opening of these Olympic Winter Games more than two weeks ago, Vancouver organizers expressed the hope that they could show the world a truly "Canadian Games."

That they succeeded in that, there is little doubt.

For 17 days we were barraged with Canadian flags, rode buses and trains with people in sweatshirts and jerseys adorned with Canadian maple leafs, and were serenaded at venues by Canadian spectators, lustily cheering for Canadian athletes.

The first Olympics I ever attended were also in Canada, the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. For a kid not long out of college, it was a profound experience, seeing Lasse Viren, Alberto Juantorena, Nadia Comaneci-- the athletes of the world -- on the sporting world's grandest stage.

One of the speakers at that Olympics used a phrase that lingers with me still: the family of man.

There is no earthly event that reinforces that notion as well as an Olympic Games. For all of the latter-day Games' inherent commercialism, that ideal persists. I truly believe that.

It persists, despite the overwhelming chauvinism of the past two weeks.

They showed us Canadian Games, all right. And in most cases, nothing but Canadian Games.

Full article and comments:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/02/28 ... gger-topic

Here is an update:

Publisher apologizes for column likening Vancouver to Nazi-era Germany
Posted: March 06, 2010, 11:24 PM by Erin Valois
2010 Olympics The publisher of a Texas newspaper that ran a column equating Canada’s patriotic Olympic fervour with Nazi-era Germany has apologized.

Gary Wortel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said Friday that although he believes in “great flexibility” in terms of what opinion writers can say, sports columnist Gil LeBreton went too far by equating Canadians’ flag-waving festivities with Germany having “swastikas everywhere” during the 1936 Olympics.

In a letter posted online, Wortel called LeBreton’s comparison of the 2010 Vancouver Games to the Berlin Games “insensitive.”

“As publisher of the Star-Telegram, I apologize to readers and all Canadians who were offended by sports columnist Gil LeBreton’s insensitive comparison of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games to those that occurred in Berlin in 1936,” he wrote.

“I was born in Canada and my Dutch parents were liberated by Canadian soldiers after WWII. Canada should be very proud of what its athletes accomplished in Vancouver and for the gracious, enthusiastic way it hosted the 2010 Winter Games.”

[NAB]

Here's a Power Point Presentation (approx 5 meg in size) set to music.

Apparently came this way from Australia. Enjoy

Nab

http://www3.telus.net/greentrails/2010_ ... ympics.pps

[Liberty and Truth]

“I was born in Canada and my Dutch parents were liberated by Canadian soldiers after WWII. Canada should be very proud of what its athletes accomplished in Vancouver and for the gracious, enthusiastic way it hosted the 2010 Winter Games.”

Ha haaaa - Americans always end up shooting themselves in the foot trashing Canada because a lot of them think we are just Mexico North - a bunch of sled dog driving ice eaters - and don't even get how many Canadians are in the US working and in positions of influence (kind of goes both ways as we have a lot of Americans working here too). I still remember watching Jay Leno one time and he had some comedian on who was trashing Canada. His other guest was Pamela Anderson. Jay kept giving the guy the cut-off sign but he wasn't getting it - finally he says "The number one reason Canada sucks is that they don't have women like this up there" (pointing at Pamela Anderson) and without missing a beat Pammy pipes up "I'm Canadian you idiot" - ha ha ha - boy did that guy look stoooopid - and Jay just was shaking his head as he said "I tried to warn you". So rule one - if you are an American and you want to trash Canada, make sure there aren't any Canadians in earshot or who you may unknowingly work for, who are going to make you look like a fool.

I was watching the NBC feed for the opening ceremonies - it was funny to hear the surprise in Bob Costas' voice when Steve Nash came out holding a torch - he said something like "what's Steve Nash doing down there? What? He's Canadian? Why didn't we know that? Yes - and he apparently grew up in British Columbia - who knew?" - hilarious!