[saturn_656]

$1:

While public pressure is unlikely to stop the 2010 Games from occupying Vancouver, critical resistance is needed to expose deceptions about the Games’ impact and purposes, voice our dissent to the world, and strengthen social movement solidarity.

Occupying Vancouver? Social movement solidarity?

They sound like a bunch of far left wing nuts.

[commanderkai]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

$1:

While public pressure is unlikely to stop the 2010 Games from occupying Vancouver, critical resistance is needed to expose deceptions about the Games’ impact and purposes, voice our dissent to the world, and strengthen social movement solidarity.

Occupying Vancouver? Social movement solidarity?

They sound like a bunch of far left wing nuts.

I enjoyed the "Occupied Native Land" part.

(Massive Sarcasm)

[martin14]

Choban Choban:

“Security” and Eroding Civil Liberties: Increasing political repression and security build-ups accompany modern Games. Estimates for Vancouver of at least 16,500 Canadian military, border guards, private security, VPD, RCMP, and CSIS agents (plus foreign security) are unrealistically low: the Sydney Games had 35,000 police and security (4 cops per athlete) with 4,000 troops and commando units and the Athens Games had 70,000 police, security, and military forces. There will be at least 40 km of crowd-control fencing, video surveillance, and airport-style security zones around the city, including on public property. The monitoring and intimidation of political opposition has already begun. Vancouver City Council has followed the IOC requests to create an environment free of protest by enhancing bylaws to restrict posters, signs, leaflets, marches, noise-makers, and any possible “disturbance” to Olympic entertainment. Many elements can become permanent (such as public video monitoring, new security bodies and policing rules, and the criminalization of protest) and security costs are up to $1 billion.

funny they didnt mention the China Games, I guess the government won't
release those figures.

the rest is a bit left wing, but a good find nonetheless Choban.

[bootlegga]

martin14 martin14:

bootlegga bootlegga:

martin14 martin14:

quote="bootlegga'
To me, it's just one more hassle, and as a TV viewer, doesn't really affect me in any way.


Reminded me of this..


First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out.


Keep your head in the sand.

The security at the 2010 Olympics can be compared to Hitler.

Wow, now I've heard everything. Methinks it's you who has his head in the sand.

Way to Godwin an Olympic thread...

over your head and past your knees bootie.

it's you and your refusal to care what happens to other people in the country.

Nope, not at all. The Olympics is all about short term pain for long term gain. It's people like you who can't see the forest for the trees.

IMHO the twinning of the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler is worth the cost of the entire Games, nevermind other things like new Skytrain stations, better roads, new sports facilities, etc.

Frankly, I'd love to see Edmonton host the Olympics, but it isn't big enough (and likely never will be). Edmonton got world class facilities for the Commonwealth Games - like the stadium the Eskimos play in and a very good Aquatic Centre to name two. If I didn't have a newborn daughter, I'd be going myself to enjoy the both the atmosphere of the Games security hassles too, (when I went to a couple of hockey games).

[BartSimpson]

bootlegga bootlegga:

IMHO the twinning of the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler is worth the cost of the entire Games

I TOTALLY agree. 2003 was the last time I was to Whistler and Mrs. Bart and I had crossed over from Nanaimo to Horse Shoe Bay on the ferry before driving up to Whistler. The two lane road up to Whistler was both beautiful for the views and terrifying for the amount of traffic. The tandem logging trailers that blew by well in excess of the posted speed limit scared my underpants to a lovely shade of brown. I recall telling Liese that I bet the road was a blood bath and when we reached the summit, where there was some construction in progress, sure enough there was a multi-vehicle pile-up including one of the logging trucks.

When it came time to depart Whistler I really, really, did not want to go back over that stretch of road and instead elected to take the long way around and we drove to Lillooet and then down the Fraser River before going south into Washington. The upside of the scary Sea to Sky was that we ended up seeing one of the most beautiful stretches of road on God's green earth: that between Whistler and Lillooet. There is no more stunning beauty in the world than what can be seen along that drive.

When I heard that the Sea to Sky would be widened to four lanes I was so very proud of the people of BC for fixing what was so obviously a dangerous and blood-soaked stretch of road.

So I agree, if the cost of the Olympics fixed this road and saves lives well into the future then it was worth evry single penny.

[martin14]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Nope, not at all. The Olympics is all about short term pain

We'll see if the cameras stay.

and the fly zones.

and the 100000 trees.

and the debt.


not much short term.

[martin14]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

bootlegga bootlegga:

IMHO the twinning of the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler is worth the cost of the entire Games

I TOTALLY agree. 2003 was the last time I was to Whistler and Mrs. Bart and I had crossed over from Nanaimo to Horse Shoe Bay on the ferry before driving up to Whistler. The two lane road up to Whistler was both beautiful for the views and terrifying for the amount of traffic. The tandem logging trailers that blew by well in excess of the posted speed limit scared my underpants to a lovely shade of brown.

I've done that road.


Seen and done much much worse over here.

[bootlegga]

martin14 martin14:

bootlegga bootlegga:

Nope, not at all. The Olympics is all about short term pain

We'll see if the cameras stay.

If they do, that's a Vancouver City issue, which Vancouverites can change during the next election.

martin14 martin14:

and the fly zones.

They'll go, just like the no fly zones over Salt Lake did in 2002, or Turin in 2006. If this was the US, you might have a point (and even then, only MIGHT), but Canada is not nearly so paranoid about aerial security (and there's no need to be either IMHO).

martin14 martin14:

and the 100000 trees.

Again, a city issue. If the environmentalists have as much support as they claim (given their ability to get bridge lane s designated bike only, they do), I'm sure they can find some way to plant more trees.

martin14 martin14:

and the debt.

not much short term.

If run properly, there shouldn't be a debt. I have faith in Vancouver putting on a relatively prosperous Games. The days of profligate Games like Montreal's are well in the past - at least here in Canada - I can't speak for Athens, Sydney, Salt Lake City or anywhere else.

Even if there is some debt, to be entirely fair, you'd have to add in all the costs for future use of infrastructure and sports facilities.

martin14 martin14:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

bootlegga bootlegga:

IMHO the twinning of the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler is worth the cost of the entire Games

I TOTALLY agree. 2003 was the last time I was to Whistler and Mrs. Bart and I had crossed over from Nanaimo to Horse Shoe Bay on the ferry before driving up to Whistler. The two lane road up to Whistler was both beautiful for the views and terrifying for the amount of traffic. The tandem logging trailers that blew by well in excess of the posted speed limit scared my underpants to a lovely shade of brown.

I've done that road.


Seen and done much much worse over here.

I'm sure there are worse roads in lots of places, but this is Canada and we should expect better. Having second rate roads to major tourist attractions is ludicrous. Imagine a gravel road to Disneyland in Anaheim? It'd never happen...

[Choban]

Addmittedly the article is a left wing job, Like I said I don't agree with ALL of it, the repression and security methods alone are reason enough to boycott the olympics for me.
Truthfully I don't buy into the whole "anti" anything movement that these anarchist sites spout, but unfortunately as far as the olympics are concearned they are the only ones posting anything that's not posative.