15Feb 2010 by R&O 3 Comments

The Opening Ceremonies

Events, Observations, Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympic opening ceremonies have had mixed reviews since Friday night's big event. I, for one, wasn't too impressed with the 30-40 minutes after the snowboarder intro but it certainly picked up as time went on. The typical aboriginal theme was a bit much and the large poles that rose from the floor of BC Place looked more like adult sex toys than anything else, especially their silhouettes during some of the proceedings. Didn't anyone on the opening ceremonies committee think they looked like giant, battery-operated vibrators? I'm tired of every Canadian event being shrouded in our alleged native heritage as this just perpetuates the global stereotype that Canadians wear animal skins and spend most of our day hopping on one foot and warbling monotone, unintelligible songs. That's…
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13Feb 2010 by R&O No Comments

Who else?

Events, Observations, Olympics, People
Who else could possibly be the right person to light the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics flame other than Wayne Gretzky? Nobody, that's who! I was writhing in anticipation of who would light the flame during last night's opening ceremonies and had nightmares thinking of all the bad choices that could have been made. Names like Celine Dion (shudder), Anne Murray (part of the flag carrying group ceremony in B.C. Place), Steve Fonyo (as if!), Ben Johnson (was he even allowed to watch it on TV??) or a number of nausea-inducing possibilities ran through my head as I waited for the big moment. A group comprised of Bobby Orr, Julie Payette, Anne Murray, Romeo Dallaire, Jacques Villeneuve, Barbara Ann Scott, Betty Fox (a nice touch) and Donald Sutherland marched into B.C.…
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13Feb 2010 by R&O No Comments

Los Angeles hears our secrets

Olympics, Rants
Los Angeles, California is officially aware of some of Vancouver's problems thanks to the John and Ken radio talk show on KFI AM 640 radio. The talk show hosts discussed Vancouver's recent allocation of taxpayer money to bail out the Olympic Village project and also commented on the disgraceful poverty, drug and crime ridden Vancouver East End. Our problems are becoming glaringly apparent as the bright light of global media is shone in every corner and on every issue of the city. Perhaps this might motivate our elected representatives to actually do something about the poverty, drugs and crime that make the East End a destination for the destitute and mentally ill. Perhaps some of the over three million dollars recently spent on Olympic tickets by our Government might have…
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12Feb 2010 by R&O 3 Comments

Luge Death at Olympics

Events, Olympics, People
The games here in Vancouver hadn't even begun before Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was fatally injured this afternoon after being flung from the track during a practice run at Whistler Mountain. A very sad beginning to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games to say the least. [local /wp-content/uploads/2010/02/luge_accident.wmv] If the above video player doesn't work for you, use the contact form to drop me a line and I'll email you a download link. I had the link posted but it was costing me an arm and a leg in bandwidth fees so I had to take it off. Sorry about that.
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