Tired of the negativity

[Firesong]

Sheesh.
My main topic is regarding the olympics.
I hate the media. It's seems that they only want to sling mud and cover as
much of whatever as they can.

Alexisonfire concert.. oops. A fence was toppled by fans.
A fence that has been able to hold back people for years and years
of concerts.. hmm must mean the olympics in Vancouver suck.

Everywhere I go, radio, tv... common this is garbage. Report the
good things, carry it forward. Yes crap happens, help them out, don't
dwell.

Let's not even dwell on the Luge. I would bet good money 95% of the
athletes are ticked right off they screwed around with the starting positions.
It's sad, it's tragic and it's horrible the guy died. It's also an elite
sport full of adrenaline junkies who love it.

Almost like people don't expect anything to happen because
we are bulletproof in the movies.
It's doesn't take a fast track for a luge athlete to die.
Look at all the accidents that happen on a downhill skiing hill.
Not even a racing event.

Anyway... ignore my venting.
I'm trying to fix my axle that I broke while piling through 4 ft of snow
into a log that was hidden under a snowdrift.
I MEAN COMMON, My Delica should be tough enough to withstand that
right!!! ? hmmm maybe I should have expected some things to get broken.

Ah well.

Me

[FalcoColumbarius]

Firesong..... bummer... But think on the bright side ~ at least your axle isn't going to cost you $6 billion dollars.

Hey, all kidding aside, which axle are you dealing with, the front axle? What did you do to it, that is, how is it busted?

Falco.

[Firesong]

Actually I was using sarcasm with the busted axle thing..
Van's running great.. more than great actually.
When breaking trail icefishing through crusty snow I put
my bud's Toy Surf in the snow pack. He overheated.
:)
I was pretty tickled.

FS

[konadog]

Can I hate the Olympics without being called negative? It IS a political $$$ issue after all... I think it was a HUGE mistake hosting them and that they have become ridiculously cumbersome and unwieldy and an immense burden to the communities hosting them. Personally I can't stand them and am very happy my little trip down under is happening while the games are on...

[Firesong]

Sure that's fine.
Honest.

It's just that we are having them, it's done.
I think they should have done it somewhere else.. Silly location.

Anyway.
My beef is the media frenzy on the bad things that have happened.
It's not an accident, it's not that people went a little nuts at the concert,
no, it's the olympics are at fault because they caused all this..
That's the media.
It's the reason I don't pick up the newspaper.
I don't watch the news.
I get good info from people I work with, clients etc
And followup on on my own.

I guess simply put, it's the stupid world we live in.
Anyone picked up the rags and seen that Angie and brad are breaking up?

I mean really... I don't buy those crappy rags..
why do people thrive on lies and gossip.
My life is exciting and fun without needing to live
in a stupid world of make believe.

I did put on a mask and cape for my..
anyway.. nuff said.

You can hate the olympics. Im not saying people
shouldn't. Don't get me wrong. I just wish the media
weren't such ambulance chasers.

FS

[Meanman]

I'm with you!! I on the other hand am glad they are here, except for the overpriced bubget and poor planning on VANOC's part. I think it is exciting.
I heard through legit sources, as you suspected, that the Sliders are pissed at the change in starting positions. Apparently, the men now start from the ladies position and the women from the juniors (where teenage kids just learning the sport) starting position. Apparently it knock of 300 meters or so. The common feeling is the track went from one of the best, the fastest, to unexciting and elementary.
Anyway I suppose that tragedy and failure sells more than success and joy.......either way I am a PROUD CANADIAN and am happy the Olympics are here, and I am ashamed of the masked "PROTESTORS"....don't even get me started on those idiots!

GO CANADA GO!!

[Firesong]

Yah the protesting.
Weird stuff.

I was hearing about them so I went online and followed some sources to their
website. Basically they are looking for any excuses to protest. Anything
and everything is what they should state. 'I stubbed my toe so I will protest'

Kind of ashamed of their presence too.
I can't believe they believe that vandalizing and assault are ok.
Again, if you want to protest you have that right.. but you don't have the
right to infringe on others rights.

How about that Men's Hockey game last night...
edge of your seat .... my wife was sure quiet... my intensity
was probably scary :)

FS

[after oil]

why am i against the "olympics?" The 2010 Winter Olympics has escalated the homelessness crisis in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and the Greater Vancouver area. Since the Olympic bid, homelessness has nearly tripled in the GVRD, while real estate and condominium development in the Downtown Eastside is outpacing social housing by a rate of 3:1. Meanwhile, a heightened police presence has further criminalized those living in extreme material poverty in the poorest postal code in Canada.

i love winter sports. i love snowboarding. but why is a sporting event the source of national pride and not, say, intellectual achievements? granted athletes look better in spandex than intellectuals.
Lidsey Vonn when interviewed after a win made the comment "I had to give up everything for this". Hmmmm, last I heard, you get to travel the world, do a sport that you love for a living and have millions of dollars in endorsements. I really sympathize with her sacrifices.

[Spearo]

"Dog bites man" is not a headline. "Man bites dog" is.

Stop watching the news, period. Your life will improve vastly.
Or keep watching it and carry all that negative energy around, your choice.

Have a great weekend all,
Erik

[marsgal42]

If you want a bit of levity on the Olympics, pick up the DVDs of The Games http://www.abc.net.au/tv/thegames/, ABC's hysterically funny mockumentary about the lead up to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Their portrayal of SOCOG makes VANOC look like a bunch of geniuses. One particularly famous scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig9l39DAi80) is John Howard's apology to the world for f**king over the aborigines.

Anything that gets people together for a peaceful international event should be a good thing, but I am dismayed at the hype, the emphasis on money over sport, the total lack of benefit for anybody outside the inner clique of the Olympic "family", and the way everybody is prepared to throw vast sums of money at a sporting event, while science and technology are left to fend for themselves.

In Delica news, Gumdrop is spending lots of time sprinting back and forth between Burnaby and the Langley airport these days, with excellent results...

...laura

[Meanman]

why am i against the "olympics?" The 2010 Winter Olympics has escalated the homelessness crisis in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and the Greater Vancouver area.

I don't understand, though, with homelesness, why people were quick to advocate against putting homeless in shelterrs during the games. My thoughts were that if I was homeless and someone offered a warm bed I'd be all over it.
And those not willing to take a free bed when offered shouldn't complain about not having one. Further, If you really truly wanted off of the streets you would find a way...move to a small town with more affordable housing....get a job, get off of drugs or whatever. The human will is a strong thing, if you truly want something go and get it. My help goes to those willing to help themselves.

[loki]

Since the Olympic bid, homelessness has nearly tripled in the GVRD, while real estate and condominium development in the Downtown Eastside is outpacing social housing by a rate of 3:1. Meanwhile, a heightened police presence has further criminalized those living in extreme material poverty in the poorest postal code in Canada.

I'm sorry but you can't make claims like that, Vancouver and the Olympics are not in a vacuum, there has also been a recession, and more police isn't a bad thing unless your doing something wrong I thought. You can't further criminalize something that is already illegal just by having the manpower to enforce the law better. Maybe your right and the Olympics are the sole or main cause for these problems, but I find it unlikely.

People can hate or dislike the Olympics all they want and protest to get heard, but they shouldn't infringe on others to make their point.

and I'm out

[mararmeisto]

Most of my reasons for not liking the 2010 Olympics being held in Vancouver/Whistler/Cyprus have more to do with geography and money than anything else, but VANOC did bring some of the public/media displeasure upon themselves. By way of example, the Olympic Flame.

Now granted, it's at ground level, which none of the others have been, where the people could enjoy it, be a part of it, maybe even touch it... until they put up the fence! What was the point of putting down that close to the public if they didn't want the public to touch it? Or climb on it? Or stand near it so they could photograph themselves next to it?

At least in Calgary in 1988, despite the flame being atop the Calgary Tower, you could at least get a photograph of yourself 'holding' the Olympic torch (i.e. the Calgary Tower) in your hand.

Here in Vancouver the opportunity was that much greater for the public to interact with the symbol.... except for the fence. Talk about boneheaded! No wonder people are upset with the Games.

It's good that our athletes are winning and that most are enjoying themselves (some are just happy to have made it), and there will always be those 'little' things that take a bit of the shine off someone's experience, but sometimes it's the sum-of-the-parts that is the issue, not all the little issues.

Those are just some of my thoughts.

[after oil]

why am i against the "olympics?" The 2010 Winter Olympics has escalated the homelessness crisis in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and the Greater Vancouver area.

I don't understand, though, with homelesness, why people were quick to advocate against putting homeless in shelterrs during the games. My thoughts were that if I was homeless and someone offered a warm bed I'd be all over it.
And those not willing to take a free bed when offered shouldn't complain about not having one. Further, If you really truly wanted off of the streets you would find a way...move to a small town with more affordable housing....get a job, get off of drugs or whatever. The human will is a strong thing, if you truly want something go and get it. My help goes to those willing to help themselves.

im not homeless, maybe its not fair for me to speak for the homeless. but i believe the homeless need homes, not shelters. have you ever been to a shelter? they aint the ritz thats for sure.
as far as moving to a town with more affordable housing: #1 it costs money to move
#2 they can join the growing ranks of homeless in powell river, where rent for a one room apartment can be upwards of $700, if they can find a vacancy.

the vanoc and their $benefactors$ could have/should have spent a few of their billions on homes for lower income and zero income people and families.
a billion just for security, and thousands are hungry...

[bryanc]

Homelessness is complicated issue , i am willing to pay for shelters but not if other provinces aren't doing the same otherwise we will be overun especially if you consider that in the past provinces have paid for bus tickets for their homeless to come to BC and as far giving them homes what would that do to the motivation of those working hard to get by ?