Sochi Olympics

[Gnam]

Now is the winter of our discontent...

http://s15.postimg.org/dxluyj08r/sochi_handcuffs.png

No word yet on which border country Russia will invade during these Olympics, but I understand the Russian national anthem will be played at all medal ceremonies. :p

[Napoleon]

The US Gov. ought to send Jimmy Carter to the games as its official representative just to screw with the Russians.

[dando]

My step-dad, in the fast-pitch softball HoF, was slated to be in the Moscow Olympics in '80. :( I saw him play in a local leauge, and the dude was amazing.

[Gnam]

NBC announces streaming Olympic coverage with Yahoo

The Peacock’s deal with Yahoo is aimed at driving pay-TV users to log in to NBCOlympics.com, where they will be able to access live streams of all 98 Winter Olympic events for the first time. All told, NBCU’s digital platforms will offer more than 1,000 hours of live content over the 18 days of the Olympic Winter Games Feb. 7-23 from Sochi, more than double that of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Almost none of the Winter Olympics live-streamed events will be available without a pay-TV subscription.

http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/olympics-to-stream-live-on-yahoo-via-nbc-deal-not-quite-1200964853/#
uh-oh. :D twitter will be most displeased.

As for US viewing schedules, Sochi is exactly 12 hours ahead of the West Coast and 9 hours ahead of the East Coast. Not many live viewing possibilities.

[dando]

Sochi go boom?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-29/suicide-bomber-kills-at-least-13-at-south-russia-train-station.html

:saywhat:

[stroker]

I gave up on the Olympics when they moved to NBC...

Actually, I gave up on them when they started the "Up Close and Personal" segments on ABC. It's just that NBC decided to do that ALL the time.

[cameraman]

Yeah, NBC might as well just go home

b-lsSKOlV0I

The BBC plays to win.

[opinionated ow]

Yeah, NBC might as well just go home

b-lsSKOlV0I

The BBC plays to win.

I take that and give you this in return:
Uq_Fs_bpSvE

[Gnam]

stop copying Jamaica. :p


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaov7DNICPg

[Kiwifan]

What our youthful Aussie didn't tell you was 23 of their mob came over to NZ to train and compete in the Winter Games in Queenstown and Wanaka. ;-) Next he will be telling you the Aussies invented the pavlova, reared Phar Lap, Russell Crowe, Crowded House, Lorde.... Oh wait, they have! :D :p

[Andrew Longman]

I miss John Candy. :cry:

[Elmo T]

stop copying Jamaica. :p



For real... ;)

Jamaican Bobsled Set To Qualify For Sochi, But Money Woes May Dash Olympic Dreams
(http://nesn.com/2014/01/jamaican-bobsled-set-to-qualify-for-sochi-but-money-woes-may-dash-olympic-dreams/)

[opinionated ow]

What our youthful Aussie didn't tell you was 23 of their mob came over to NZ to train and compete in the Winter Games in Queenstown and Wanaka. ;-) Next he will be telling you the Aussies invented the pavlova, reared Phar Lap, Russell Crowe, Crowded House, Lorde.... Oh wait, they have! :D :p

and consequently we'll win more medals than you :p

[dando]

It be happening, mon...

http://espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2014/bobsled/story/_/id/10314655/jamaica-bobsled-team-qualifies-sochi

[trauma1]

my gut feeling is that something bad is going to happen that has nothing to do with the Gays debate rather it will be terrorist actions

[nrc]

Russia has lost their police state mojo. Can't keep terrorists out, can't keep reporters from doing stories on people having to crap in buckets just outside their new Olympic show place.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-olympic-glitz-hides-crumbling-sochi/

[Andrew Longman]

True.

But Putin's today and tomorrow will be pretty much like yesterday. Doesn't really matter especially if oil is still $100 a barrel.

[SteveH]

Russia has lost their police state mojo. Can't keep terrorists out, can't keep reporters from doing stories on people having to crap in buckets just outside their new Olympic show place.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-olympic-glitz-hides-crumbling-sochi/


I recall similar stories during the Beijing Olympics

[Andrew Longman]

I recall similar stories during the Beijing OlympicsSure, but to hugely over simplify things, the closest the Chinese have to really pissed off Chechen terrorist are pissed off Tibeten monks,

[Gnam]

How do terrorists qualify for the Olympics? Is there a preliminary round robin tournament?

[G.]

How do terrorists qualify for the Olympics? Is there a preliminary round robin tournament?

Sudden death elimination.

[Andrew Longman]

How do terrorists qualify for the Olympics? Is there a preliminary round robin tournament?I doubt if it involves a suicide bombing event.

[Andrew Longman]

So here is a weird Frenchtown connection to the Olympics --- Two and almost three of the speed skating team got their start at the Frenchtown Roller Rink... which is kind of an oddball institution in town.

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2014/01/olympic_speed_skaters_-_and_ho.html

[cameraman]

W.T.F.

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BesOfdaCcAALwLX.jpg:large

You have got to be kidding me:yuck:


http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1588816.1390496634!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/ralph-lauren-olympics.jpg

[cameraman]

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2014/01/23/ap44661353656_custom-f7a2c092ee9f370da84d352f07b4a90e81a9cef1-s40-c85.jpg

[TKGAngel]

They did it. Someone finally found a way to make Zach Parise (the dude in camaraman's post) less attractive.

[Napoleon]

^^^

Good God, that is like an embarrassing gift your grandma would get you as a kid.

[Gnam]

C'mon y'all, ironic sweaters are rad. :tony:

[TKGAngel]

The State Department suggests that US athletes not wear team gear (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303448204579339134239429924?mod=e2 tw) outside of competition venues.

Stuff is getting real, yo.

[Napoleon]

The State Department suggests that US athletes not wear team gear (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303448204579339134239429924?mod=e2 tw) outside of competition venues.


What do you want to bet that one of the US athletes, after seeing that uniform, phoned in a phony threat.

Man at whatever they call the KGB now on picking up phone: "Hello, officer Vavilov speaking"

Man on the other end of phone: [fake Chechnyan accent] "Long live a free Chechnya - we will be on the lookout for the American athletes in their uniforms" [/fake Chechnyan accent]

(click - dial tone)

[Don Quixote]

What do you want to bet that one of the US athletes, after seeing that uniform, phoned in a phony threat.

Man at whatever they call the KGB now on picking up phone: "Hello, officer Vavilov speaking"

Man on the other end of phone: [fake Chechnyan accent] "Long live a free Chechnya - we will be on the lookout for the American athletes in their uniforms" [/fake Chechnyan accent]

(click - dial tone)You might be onto something there .....

[Gnam]

Thunderdome Olympics? :laugh:


An Australian course worker at the Sochi Winter Olympics, [Sydney-raised Johnnie Balfour], has painted a bleak picture of the area just two weeks out from the Games, describing dodgy construction, poor accommodation and questionable employment conditions - all the while preparing not to be paid.

Balfour, a former soldier in the Australian Army, is a renowned shaper of snowboard cross and ski cross courses, and built the site at Cypress Mountain for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010

Balfour blogged one line on Thursday: "I've just been told to shut up."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/australian-worker-appalled-at-sochi-olympics-games-conditions/story-e6frf61c-1226809230330?sv=4fc6f76b3d2a4ac1c4719234f00be175

Da. Do not question the glorious Putin's, ah...people's, Olympic victory. All will be well, comrade.

[dando]

Thunderdome Olympics? :laugh:


Da. Do not question the glorious Putin's, ah...people's, Olympic victory. All will be well, comrade.

For some reaon Pooty Put reminds of the Oz the Great and Powerful. :gomer:

IMO, this Olympics not going end well. :\

[cameraman]

The Mexican Slalom Olympic uniform. Truly.

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/19dugioq1n9tmjpg.jpg

[dando]

The Mexican Slalom Olympic uniform. Truly.

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/19dugioq1n9tmjpg.jpg

Ole! :gomer:

[TravelGal]

Ole! :gomer:

More like Oy vey.

[chop456]

I had no idea Timothy Dalton was Mexican.

[TKGAngel]

Crazy western journalists, expecting toilet paper and clean water and hotel rooms with doorknobs (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/02/04/journalists-at-sochi-are-live-tweeting-their-hilarious-and-gross-hotel-experiences/?hpid=z2).

[Gnam]

A Russian woman walking in the street is carrying a bag full of rolls of toilet paper.

A passer-by opens his mouth, "Hey, mother, where did you buy it?"

"Buy? Are you crazy? Where could I buy it nowadays? They are five years old. I am taking them back from the cleaners."



In the Olympics, a Soviet hammer thrower set a new record. Correspondents interviewed him.

"How did you manage to hurl that hammer so far?"

"If it were together with a sickle, I would send it twice as far."

[chop456]

NBC News Video: "Hacked Within Minutes. Sochi Visitors Face Internet Minefield" (http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54273832/#54273832)

I'm shocked. Shocked! :gomer:

[TravelGal]

NBC News Video: "Hacked Within Minutes. Sochi Visitors Face Internet Minefield" (http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54273832/#54273832)

I'm shocked. Shocked! :gomer:

:laugh::laugh:

[Andrew Longman]

All this surprise about getting hacked as soon as visitors hit the ground - especially by reporters has me shaking my head. More than five years ago my brother had his credit card hacked on the plane to Moscow from DC.

Pretty much standard practice among biz travelers I know that when in Russia have everything (cabs, hotel, even meal) booked locally by the client or local operation and billed straight to them. It is just easier and safer.

And leave the PC at home. Use something local.

[TravelGal]

All this surprise about getting hacked as soon as visitors hit the ground - especially by reporters has me shaking my head. More than five years ago my brother had his credit card hacked on the plane to Moscow from DC.

Pretty much standard practice among biz travelers I know that when in Russia have everything (cabs, hotel, even meal) booked locally by the client or local operation and billed straight to them. It is just easier and safer.

And leave the PC at home. Use something local.

THANK YOU! And you may substitute "China" for "Russia" at any point though they SAY it isn't as bad there now as it once was. ;)

[G.]

And leave the PC at home. Use something local.

??

So, log in to your email from a hotel computer, or something? The one with 17 different keyloggers running on it?

[cameraman]

??

So, log in to your email from a hotel computer, or something? The one with 17 different keyloggers running on it?

Use disposable phones and disposable email accounts. Have no information of any kind on your devices and don't log on to anything that you care about.

[opinionated ow]

Competition venues are exquisite and the pre-games competition really tight. Can't wait for it to officially kick off!!!

[Andrew Longman]

Use disposable phones and disposable email accounts. Have no information of any kind on your devices and don't log on to anything that you care about.Pretty much. Another issue about taking you laptop, some countries more than others will sometimes want you to prove you aren't importing it and will hold you and it hostage until you pay an import tariff. And sometimes they will hold you and it hostage until they are sure that you aren't exporting state secrets or something on the HD.

It is not common, but the risk is not worth it and it totally avoidable.

[TravelGal]

The conclusion of an article from TravelMole, about Russia losing control of the message they wanted to portray. Emphasis added. I cracked up.

"So where does Sochi tourism go from here? In 2013, Sochi attracted about 3.8 million tourists. When the Olympic torch goes out, Sochi will be left with about 50,000 hotel rooms, which should be completed by the end of the Olympics. Radisson, Park Inn, Golden Tulip, Pullman, Marriott, Swissotel and Capella will all put their incredible marketing muscle to the task."

[SteveH]

May 13, 2010


Day of the Black Sea Fleet /День Черноморского флота: The Boys Who Brought You The Battleship Potemkin! (http://dividingmytime.typepad.com/my-blog/2010/05/day-of-the-black-sea-fleet-%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%80%D 1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE-%D1%84%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0-the-boys-who-brought-you-the-battleship-potemkin.html)

Interesting article on the Black Sea Fleet.....


Madeline is clearly not Russian, because every Russian knows about Sochi – you can’t avoid the nightly updates on the Russian news about it. The Olympics in Sochi – or “Sochi 2014” as it is branded, is likely to be the biggest national embarrassment since the Russo-Japanese War, but to hear Russians talk about it, you’d think it was the Second Coming of Christ. Russia watchers have concerns that things may not be going according to schedule. Putin changes the person in charge every three months, and eventually, I suppose, he will simply have to go and run the damn thing himself.

:rofl:

[Gnam]

very good. :thumbup:

[cameraman]

I don't know who this clown is yammering on during the opening ceremony but I really, really, really would like to beat him into silence with a brick.:flaming:

[cameraman]

I've never seen flag poles with blowers built into them to keep the flags flying before.

[opinionated ow]

I've never seen flag poles with blowers built into them to keep the flags flying before.

Pretty sure they had them in Vancouver and London

[Napoleon]

So that one ring of the 5 Olympic rings that didn't open wasn't seen in Russia. They saw it open since their TV stations spliced in footage from rehearsals with it opening.

Oh, and nice touch picking that racist piece of garbage to be the person who lite the torch.

[Gnam]

So that one ring of the 5 Olympic rings that didn't open wasn't seen in Russia. They saw it open since their TV stations spliced in footage from rehearsals with it opening.

Oh, and nice touch picking that racist piece of garbage to be the person who lite the torch.
Who you gonna believe, the peoples' great patriotic media or your lying eyes? ;)

Now that the games have started, I hope the athletes become the focus of the media stories and that Russia's issues fade into the background.

Curling!

[TravelGal]

Who you gonna believe, the peoples' great patriotic media or your lying eyes? ;)

Now that the games have started, I hope the athletes become the focus of the media stories and that Russia's issues fade into the background.

Curling!

I was pretty okay with it, "to preserve the Olympic moment" when I thought EVERYONE saw the practice footage where it all worked. When I found out only the RUSSIANS saw the lie, it became just that. Another in the endless stream.

I think the attention has now turned to the sports. It certainly has in our house. It will snap back (I use the term advisedly) after a while, I'm sure.

As for curling, I know I mention this at every Winter Olympics thread but TravelGuy and I found ourselves at the curling venue in Calgary. We had gotten off the train just to look around. The guard told us to go on in. Different days in those days. We happened to sit next to some OLLLLLLD chap from Scotland who explained the game in detail. As with most, once you understand the strategies behind the play, it becomes much more engaging. So no dissing curling! :)

[Insomniac]

More than five years ago my brother had his credit card hacked on the plane to Moscow from DC.

How?

[KLang]

Didn't catch any of the opening ceremonies but so far what I have seen of the competition seems to be running well. Slopestyle is nuts. :eek:

[TKGAngel]

Biathlon has been so much fun to watch. The excitement of the announcers draws you in. I wish more sports could have penalty loops added. Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty...Run a lap. Delay of game...run a lap. Playing the ball or puck and not the man...run a lap.

[Andrew Longman]

How?

Good question. When the bogus charges showed up on his visa the activity was timed before he even landed. I think he used it on the plane to buy a drink.

Now to be fair I once had a Continental flight attendent steal my credit card info and make some small bogus charges she didn't think anyone would notice.

[TrueBrit]

Biathlon has been so much fun to watch. The excitement of the announcers draws you in. I wish more sports could have penalty loops added. Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty...Run a lap. Delay of game...run a lap. Playing the ball or puck and not the man...run a lap.

For some reason most of the Olympic coverage I saw this weekend was a seemingly never-ending loop of team ice-skating (it wasn't boring enough individually???) and a few shots of ski-jumping...BTW not a fan of the rails they're now on in the ramp, I kinda liked the whole 'agony of defeat' potential in the run to the edge of the jump..

Saw some coverage of the ladies biathlon, some of those ladies are fit, they know their way around weapons and um,...they're fit...if you know what I mean...;):D

[TravelGal]

Completely agree on the fake ski jumps. Rails? Really? Worse than that, however, was the announcer you could (try not to) hear in the background during the Normal Hill competition. If I had been there, I would have found one of those biathlon competitors and done something useful with their rifle. It sounded like Walmart 101 with the constant yammering.

I *heart* figure skating but the team thing is joke, IMHO. Not only do we not really care, but it ruins the skaters for their all-important individual medals. That said, I'm basically loving it so far. I'm sick so the hours go by nicely while planted in front of the fairly large (not BIG) screen TV that we got since that last games. Life's good.

[Insomniac]

Good question. When the bogus charges showed up on his visa the activity was timed before he even landed. I think he used it on the plane to buy a drink.

Now to be fair I once had a Continental flight attendent steal my credit card info and make some small bogus charges she didn't think anyone would notice.

Ohhh, OK. I was thinking a chip was hacked. :)

[cameraman]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Cynops/Audi.jpg

[Gnam]

Those Germans are quick, ja.

This morning I saw a brand new Audi RS6 (from behind of course) with it's tail lights stuck on. The guy still had the dealer plate on the car. Very strange. How could they let it off the lot like that?

Saw women's super-combined final where Mancuso won the Bronze for the US. I don't remember them wearing so much armor for the slalom, just the poles with the hand guards. Now they look like cricket players or hockey goalies.

[cameraman]

NBC's web site is a horrid mess but if you can find it...

look here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/olympics-live-extra-schedule

We are really enjoying watch entire events commercial free.

But the simple fact that NBC has gone out of its way to bury that link is highly annoying. I don't know what crew of ADD monkeys NBC has hired for web designers but all the NBC sites are now wholly useless. They are setting records for abysmal UI design.

[G.]

NBC's web site is a horrid mess but if you can find it...

look here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/olympics-live-extra-schedule

We are really enjoying watch entire events commercial free.

But the simple fact that NBC has gone out of its way to bury that link is highly annoying. I don't know what crew of ADD monkeys NBC has hired for web designers but all the NBC sites are now wholly useless. They are setting records for abysmal UI design.

What browser are you using?

Either at home, or at um, other places,,,, my 'net gets unbelievably slow when I even think about going to nbcolympics.com. And it stays slow until I nuke the Oly tab.

Firefox.

[cameraman]

Firefox on Macs. The feed works fine for me most of the time at least.

Now to continue my rants about NBC's idiotic web design... The stupid, idiot. knuckledragging morons who have designed the NBC web site have decided that it would be a brilliant idea to put the Twitter feed from the athletes up in the window next to the recorded full event streams. You see that way you can spend you day studiously avoiding all coverage of the event you want to watch and then you can drop into the NBC site using the link I provided above. Then you can click on the event, like the halfpipe final and it will take you to a window with the winner tweeting about his run.

**** NBC with a rusty fence post.:flaming:

[opinionated ow]

Firefox on Macs. The feed works fine for me most of the time at least.

Now to continue my rants about NBC's idiotic web design... The stupid, idiot. knuckledragging morons who have designed the NBC web site have decided that it would be a brilliant idea to put the Twitter feed from the athletes up in the window next to the recorded full event streams. You see that way you can spend you day studiously avoiding all coverage of the event you want to watch and then you can drop into the NBC site using the link I provided above. Then you can click on the event, like the halfpipe final and it will take you to a window with the winner tweeting about his run.

**** NBC with a rusty fence post.:flaming:

In NBC's defence you are actually about to see full coverage of the Paralympics on TV in the USA for what is (I think) the first time ever...

[Don Quixote]

Rumor that Cris Collinsworth made an appearance last night. Glad I missed it.

[Napoleon]

Here is a neat interactive thing on the NY Times website on Olympic equipment:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/13/sports/olympics/olympics-gear.html?hp

[Opposite Lock]

^ Another NYT thing, this more about one guy's downhill apex technique:

http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/sochi-olympics/giant-slalom.html

[nrc]

Pretty dog!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qZA-xOeQmE

[Gnam]

Pretty dog!
:laugh:

Olympic review:
1. US Curling teams blow.
2. Snowboard racing is silly but fun to watch.
3. Sochi alpine ski courses are ghetto.
4. chicks dig ice dancing and remain unswayed by arguments that it is not a sport.
5. its fun watching Putin in the crowd watch the Russians lose. :cough:Hitler:cough:

[Napoleon]

2. Snowboard racing is silly but fun to watch.


I will admit that I liked it and it was the first thing from the Olympics I have watched.

[Elmo T]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6WYRPPTVBg

[Napoleon]

Pretty dog!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qZA-xOeQmE

Turns out that video is a hoax that Jimmy Kimmel got that Olympian to post (See below):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hze_6-f5KNA

[G.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6WYRPPTVBg



Sounds like Sarah McLachlan signing at the end.

That would be sad. (she's Canadian)

[TKGAngel]

Loser Keeps Bieber (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/-loser-keeps-bieber--billboard-gets-sad-and-hilarious-update-after-team-usa-loss-003904934.html) billboard changes after yesterday's hockey game.

[Gnam]

Saw some coverage of the ladies biathlon, some of those ladies are fit, they know their way around weapons and um,...they're fit...if you know what I mean...;):D
Recorded the women's biathlon 4x6km relay. It was fun to watch. Towards the end, the tension of each shot really built up. The announcer said it's the second most popular winter sport in Russia, behind only hockey. Watching Ukraine's final skier shoot the lights out and beat Russia for the gold medal was satisfying. :thumbup:

The ski cross events are the closest thing to auto racing at the Olympics. The course even had an offcamber turn. ;).
The only thing it's missing is a little kid on a bike yelling about his two dollars.

[Elmo T]

The only thing it's missing is a little kid on a bike yelling about his two dollars.

:thumbup::thumbup:

I watched with Emmo - he loves anything with guns :saywhat: . If he had his way, they'd add a shooting aspect to ski jumping as well.

It was one of the better events we watched. NOT a fan of the skating.

[opinionated ow]

On a somewhat related note, did anybody see Long Way Home: The Jessica Long Story? I've only seen the promos and they had me in tears; I highly doubt it's going to get a run in Australia.

[Insomniac]

Well it's over now. I watched maybe 1 hr total. Why didn't I care at all this time?

[KLang]

I watched a couple hours most nights. Pretty much the same for all the Olympic broadcasts.

Great that the predictions of doom didn't pan out. :thumbup:

[G.]

I didn't watch very much this year, not sure why.

Caught some downhill, speedskating, a couple runs of the various sleds, not much else.

Wanted to watch Biathlon, never really found it on the tube and didn't feel like watching on the net.

Snowboard racing was alright.

I think I really wanted to see "Murican's competitive in distance speedskating.

[Napoleon]

On a somewhat related note, did anybody see Long Way Home: The Jessica Long Story? I've only seen the promos and they had me in tears; I highly doubt it's going to get a run in Australia.

This must have been what I caught just by chance either Saturday night or last night on NBC. It was about a paralympian who had been adopted to the US from Russian parents. Is that what you are talking about? It was touching.

[Gnam]

Great that the predictions of doom didn't pan out. :thumbup:
+1 :thumbup:

[opinionated ow]

This must have been what I caught just by chance either Saturday night or last night on NBC. It was about a paralympian who had been adopted to the US from Russian parents. Is that what you are talking about? It was touching.

Yes, that's the one. Fingers crossed I can find it online...

[Ankf00]

winter games = best games.

great american alpine showing, considering the complete crap conditions.