queenUSA 25.07.2012 06:13 |
What sport/s are you looking forward to following this time? |
john bodega 25.07.2012 09:34 |
Women's Volleyball. |
Micrówave 25.07.2012 09:56 |
The 400 |
pma 25.07.2012 14:12 |
Where can I buy tickets to follow the olympic games traffic congestion contest? |
queenUSA 25.07.2012 20:37 |
Marathon, triathlon, swimming Surprising sports: table tennis, badminton, trampoline, canoe, kayak? |
GratefulFan 26.07.2012 00:14 |
Summer Olympics are always a little bittersweet for Canadian spectators because we're always just behind Uzbekistan or the Vatican or something in the medal count. I enjoy many of the events, but in particular rowing and kayaking. There is a mix of team and individual effort and things often change quickly, so it can be exciting. The emotions of the athletes who are suddenly victorious or who have had hopes suddenly dashed are easy to feel. Anything where there is a clear finish line is more accessible I guess. Something like diving, while interesting to watch, is a bit more impenetrable. "Oooooh. He overcorpulated his minor stenendum on that second tuck Jane. Tht's just bad form. Looks like heartbreak for Estonia!" I'll be thinking of all you Brits, hoping you're enjoying home field advantage and feeling some pride in hosting. :) |
YourValentine 26.07.2012 04:40 |
I watch virtually anything when I have time trying to forget what a sham the olympics are. I cannot blame the English public for their lack of enthusiasm considering that the IOC takes all the profit and lets the hosting city go bankrupt for all they care. If I were a Londoner I would hate that sponsors tell me that I cannot use the word "olympic" on my compound while traffic is crashing and tax money pays for all the risks and security. Imagine that Coke is the only beverage you can drink in the Olympic Park and McVomit the only food you get (apart from one "traditional" fish and chips provider). This would be enough for me to stay away as far as possible. |
Mr Mercury 26.07.2012 06:14 |
Well this should give you a laugh then Barbara link And you are right about this nonsense regarding what you can and cannot do - its just ludicrous that you can be thrown out the venue for drinking a non-Coca cola branded drink, or the wrong branded T shirt or trainers. Total shambles of a rule |
GratefulFan 26.07.2012 10:00 |
YourValentine wrote: Imagine that Coke is the only beverage you can drink in the Olympic Park and McVomit the only food you get (apart from one "traditional" fish and chips provider). This would be enough for me to stay away as far as possible.McDonalds is not the only food provider....as if! LOL. What they have managed to do though is create a public backlash by being the only french fry supplier outside other caterers who can sell chips along with fish but not alone or with any other food. The 'ban' didn't last for workers on the sites leading up to the games, and I wouldn't be surprised if it bent or broke during the games either. It's a bit absurd because fries and chips aren't even the same thing precisely as served in Britain, and the spectre of an American megaconclomerate with its foot on the neck of something as British as stuff & chips at British games is not conducive to good feelings about McDonalds. And good feelings is what these sponsorships are about, not sales at the events which are minuscule relative to total annual figures. One fact that stuns me a little is the fact that that huge McDonalds they built is just going to be bulldozed the end of the paralympic games. Seems a shocking symbol of consumption, waste and disregard, if I understood that properly. Similarly, it's not just Coke you can drink but their whole range of products including juices etc. and of course bottled water. You can't accept millions in sponsorship money from Coke and serve Pepsi products too, that much seems reasonable. I mean who but a Pepsi fanatic woud even notice. The bigger question seems to be whether a greater effort can be made to peel off some of the commercialism from the Olympics going forward, and whether current expectations for ever flashier pomp and slickness require financial models that threaten viability and undermine Olympic ideals. Part of the pressure on London is that it follows the now nearly mythical Bejing. Britain does not need to emulate China, on this front or most others. The Pepsi shirt and Nike stuff is designed to thwart attempts at rogue ambush marketing, not control what individuals wear into the park. It's pretty ironic and amusing that the peevish remarks by the organizer and the subsequent media treatment resulted in untold dollars worth of free advertising for Pepsi and Nike! Ha ha. Again, sponsors do have to be protected, but at what cost? It is a fine line between buying a right and buying a level of control that will bite you back. It's so tempting to be cynical when there is so much to be cynical about, but corporations do have the kind of assets and power to give to the games and not just take from them. As sponsors Coke produced an ad during the 2010 Olympics that caught the spirit and the hopes of Canada in a way so perfectly and beautifully that it literally lifted a nation for 30 seconds every time it aired, which was endlessly. That ad became part of the fabric of the games for Canadians and I can't conceive of a greater relative advertising success in the next 10 Olympics. The ad won't translate culturally particularly well probably, but if you look at the comments it is a corporate advertisers dream to hit it this big in having your product associated with such positive feelings. There are two ads here, identical except for the ending. The second one played immediately following hockey gold and caught Canadians by surprise to the point of tears. Well done Coca Cola. link |
GratefulFan 26.07.2012 13:24 |
Thought it worth clarifying that I was as if-ing and LOLing at the dystopian nightmare of McDs being the only food provider at such a huge inernational event, and not at YV. That it might seem remotely credible is certainly an indicator of how overwhelmed and angry we have become at parasitic globalization and the resulting monopolization of attention and narrowing of experiences. |
Saint Jiub 26.07.2012 13:50 |
I'm following West Nile virus twittering. |
Micrówave 26.07.2012 20:54 |
Two thirds of unsold Olympic tickets are for (ahem!) the worlds most popular sport... Soccer. What sold out first? Basketball. Go figure. |
Saint Jiub 26.07.2012 22:35 |
Micrówave wrote: Two thirds of unsold Olympic tickets are for (ahem!) the worlds most popular sport... Soccer.What sold out first? Basketball. Go figure.Source? Are you trying to make someone's head explode? ... ie a certain Canadian ex-wwry musical guitarist ... |
YourValentine 27.07.2012 03:07 |
Micrówave wrote: Two thirds of unsold Olympic tickets are for (ahem!) the worlds most popular sport... Soccer. What sold out first? Basketball. Go figure. It is quite easy to figure out why nobody cares about the football olympics: due to the qualification rules most of the top teams are not qualified, only very few big teams take part like Brazil and Spain. Instead of Italy, Germany, Argentine, Netherlands etc teams like Honduras and United Arab Emirates take part. It may sound arrogant but in fact nobody wants to see such giants of football. Also, ruling World and European champion Spain cannot bring their champs when they are older than 23 years - the age limit for the games. This is like playing ice hockey with Bahamas and Pakistan while Canada, Russia and Czech Republic stay at home. I am not familiar wiith the Basketball qualification but in previous olympics the professionals of the NBA always played and there was no such age limit. |
Micrówave 27.07.2012 11:40 |
Source?Time Magazine |
Micrówave 27.07.2012 11:44 |
I am not familiar wiith the Basketball qualification but in previous olympics the professionals of the NBA always played and there was no such age limit. 1992 was the first year NBA players were used. There is no age limit....because if a 38 year old can beat a 23 year old, the 38 year old deserves to be there. But the US team will be the most watched out of any olympic competitors. What's nice is that our players have forced the European leagues to get much better in recent years. Here are this years rankings: 1. USA 2. Spain 3. Brazil 4. Argentina 5. Russia 6. France 7. Lithuania 8. Australia 9. Great Britain 10. Nigeria Courtesy of the Worldwide Leader in Sports. |
YourValentine 28.07.2012 03:28 |
"There is no age limit....because if a 38 year old can beat a 23 year old, the 38 year old deserves to be there" I absolutely agree but this age limit is valid for football. Each team has 3 wild cards for older players but the whole qulaification and the age limit makes the football olympics a joke because the best in the world simply do not compete and that is the whole idea about the olympics. Who wants to pay almost 200 pounds to see third class teams play. Football fans have many competitions to watch and enjoy but the olympic games are certainly very far down on the list. As to "worldwide leader in sports": this must be China - they won the most gold medals in the last summer olympics or Canada - they won the most medals in the last winter olympics. USA was only number 2 and number 3, respectively. Sorry. |
Mr Mercury 28.07.2012 04:47 |
Just for the record the ticket price for the football at Hampden Park, Glasgow got dropped to £20 per adult and a "pay your age" for children 16 years and younger. And yet they still couldnt shift many of them. They eventually had to shut off the top tier, which is how the tv companies wont show a full stadium shot. |
queenUSA 28.07.2012 09:16 |
Yikes! Complaints already: 1) Who dressed team USA in frumpy white skirts for yesterday's opening? Yuck, Ralph Lauren - yuck! Bravos: 1). Queen and James Bond together! Have you seen it? Loved it! 2) Beckham in a speed boat with the torch on the Thames? Pulled it off he did! Excellent. 3) The Chariots of Fire piece with that superb British comedian known for portraying Mr. Bean. Brilliantly funny. 4) BORAP! (with wardrobe nod to Freddie's black & white diamond patterned costume) 5). London's Mayor. Clearly having a great time. Many more great moments last night. |
Micrówave 30.07.2012 11:20 |
London (CNN) -- British soldiers will be asked to act as temporary placeholders in premium seating at Olympic events, as organizers attempt to avoid the spectacle of empty seats at venues. The approach of filling venues with soldiers -- initially brought in to provide security at the Olympics following issues with a contractor -- began after accredited seating allocated to officials, athletes, sponsors and media went unused for stretches of the first weekend of competition. |
GratefulFan 01.08.2012 14:49 |
I demand an apology from the Canadian rowers who won silver. Totally clashing with the pile of bronze and messing with our plans to melt them all down and erect a traditional medium national monument to third placery. No more of this second best stuff Canada! And if you win gold, which you totally better not, lose my number. I mean it. Lose it Canada. Don't even list me in the reverse phone diectories. |
queenUSA 01.08.2012 21:03 |
GratefulFan wrote: I demand an apology from the Canadian rowers who won silver. Totally clashing with the pile of bronze and messing with our plans to melt them all down and erect a traditional medium national monument to third placery. No more of this second best stuff Canada! And if you win gold, which you totally better not, lose my number. I mean it. Lose it Canada. Don't even list me in the reverse phone diectories.Wait ... there's a third place? Bronze? What is that? :) |
GratefulFan 02.08.2012 09:00 |
Yes. Theses types of medals are made from an attractive alloy of copper and tin and awarded to athletes that finish third. You don't know about it because like China, the United States executes bronze medallists. |
queenUSA 02.08.2012 09:49 |
GratefulFan wrote: Yes. Theses types of medals are made from an attractive alloy of copper and tin and awarded to athletes that finish third. You don't know about it because like China, the United States executes bronze medallists.Well that seems a bit harsh and I'm sure they will be alright. The US medal count as of last night: 12 gold, 8 silver, 9 bronze (see bronze is not just for Canada and the UK) If Canada and the UK consolidate bronze medals and have a huge meltdown you will be able to achieve together a slightly larger monument to 3rd placery than originally planned. I say Grateful, you're on to an incredibly Olympic idea in that. |
Micrówave 06.08.2012 10:14 |
At least Canada will get a statue. We have to turn over all our Gold Medals to China anyways as part of a credit repayment plan. |
GratefulFan 06.08.2012 10:32 |
The US should find a shifty translator and pay China back in Juans. Two birds, one stone. |
thomasquinn 32989 07.08.2012 00:50 |
GratefulFan wrote: The US should find a shifty translator and pay China back in Juans. Two birds, one stone.That sounds like Mitt Romney-arithmetic. One Yuan is less than 0.16 US$. You find me a way to send Latin-Americans named Juan to China from the U.S. for less than 16 cents a head, and we're in business. The travel business, that is. |
GratefulFan 07.08.2012 09:03 |
That's silly! Everybody knows with the Chinese you can choose either pickup or delivery. :P |
Micrówave 09.08.2012 09:37 |
LONDON -- With her voice choking and eyes welling with tears, U.S. hurdler Lolo Jones took issue with what she called "heartbreaking" criticism a day after she barely missed winning an Olympic medal. Jones appeared on NBC's "Today" on Wednesday and was asked about a recent story in The New York Times that said her stardom had more to do with marketing than her accomplishments on the track.Ah, that's so terrible. We shouldn't judge poor Lolo on her hotness above her athletic ability. Now, say that three times and then go visit her website: link |
Missreclusive 09.08.2012 22:23 |
GratefulFan wrote: Yes. Theses types of medals are made from an attractive alloy of copper and tin and awarded to athletes that finish third. You don't know about it because like China, the United States executes bronze medallists.Oh no, two of the bronze medal winners are from San Antonio TX, I wonder if the public will be invited to the executions? |
Micrówave 10.08.2012 10:09 |
No, we're going to build an electrified fence so they can't get back in. |