Comments on: The Olympics have run their course

By: zynga poker chips

zynga poker chips — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:51:03 +0000

i would not have considered this had been impressive a number years in the past but yet it’s crazy the way in which age changes the method by which you comprehend distinct ideas, thanks with regard to the article it is enjoyable to browse anything intelligent once in a while in lieu of the conventional rubbish mascarading as blogs on the internet, cheers

By: Tim Lahey

Tim Lahey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:38:40 +0000

The 1980 Winter Olympics near me in Lake Placid were the last of the true Olympic village games. Even then our games strained our state budget with last minute cost overruns. Perhaps these opening ceremonies that I’m now watching will be the last of the events to marshal in a spectacle of sports spread across thousands of square miles. In the U.S. even our NBC TV network is expected to lose money on these games. It seems that only the facility contractors will be winners.

By: Fred Steele

Fred Steele — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:14:53 +0000

Interesting to say the least. What really upsets me is the lies more than the waste. Yes
it will be six billion or more, but the truth is many people would have said yes given a
chance even with the cost or something less expensive. We were lied to from the start
by Gordon Campbell, we were then fed continuous lies of on time and on budget. There
were a series on nasty little side deals to protect some and not others, meaning the poor
taxpayer. Once Vancouver was given a vote on the issue, everyone should have had a
say by ballot. This whole thing is being conducted to feed Campbell’s ego and we will benefit not one penny. Some people refer to sponsors as just that, but I believe the
BC Government called them partners, in that case if they are partners is a business venture and it loses money, I believe we should make them share the loss along with us
as they stood to profit if they indeed were partners or was that just a lie too.
Thanks Gordon for writing this its only too bad we didn’t elect you the Premier when we
had the chance, but you always had my support, and that of Ken Charlish

By: Alan Kidd

Alan Kidd — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:46:20 +0000

Olympic Accountability.
I just hope someone has been keeping track of all the promises and public commitments made by I.O.C. and VANOC over the last five years. It’s also important to note what hadn’t been said that we now know these two bodies were aware of but neglected to say.
Security costs were grossly underestimated, the RCMP were not consulted at the initial stages (before the vote) when the games were touted as “affordable”.
When last I heard, the Games’ security costs are running close to a billion.
The IOC, (having the experience of being involved in countless Olympic Games events), know all of the inconveniences that locals will have to tolerate (when hosting an Olympic Games event) but did they advise VANOC of what was coming and if so why were Vancouverites not informed before voting for the games?
My point is that these two organizations have not been forthright, they’ve carefully released (in measured stages) the road closures and inconveniences, they have the temerity to tell vancouverites to be on their best behaviour (everyone knows how rude Canadians can be), they have recently released a pamphlet to city staff about “smiling”.
Is there no limit to the excess of these people?
Vancouver City Councillors have been offered tickets to attend games, not just for themselves, but also their spouses. This smells of self serving elitism.
All this under the nose of residents of the poorest neighbourhood in the country.
Is anyone following the trail of money poured into IOC’s pockets by Sponsors?
I also wonder about BCTV being a sponsor, how will they ever report an objective summary to the games after having been part of them as a sponsor?
I seriously hope that someone has been keeping track so that we can point fingers when the final bill comes in.
It took Montreal 30 years to pay off their Olympic event!