dr_phil_physics: (Olympic-Rings)
dr_phil_physics ([personal profile] dr_phil_physics) wrote2010-02-12 10:24 pm

And So It Begins...

The 21st Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver BC CANADA

It's 10:15pm EST and the U.S. is just entering the venue for the Opening Ceremonies. NBC's coverage started at 7:30, but we wandered away and came back for the 9pm start. NBC is already annoying me for (1) talking over some of the announcements to explain things we've already seen and (2) a really stupid discussion of the Sauna competition while introducing the Finnish team.

Of course some of the buzz late this afternoon focused on the athlete who died on the luge track today during training.

And then there was a split between those who thought British Columbia could've spent the money on better things, such as Vancouver's homeless problem, and those who feel the First Nation cosponsorship of the games didn't represent all the peoples and was a sell out to the big corporations and against the environment. Welcome to the modern Olympics games.

The Olympics are never truly perfect and the system is flawed for sure.

But I love the Olympics, both Winter and Summer, and will revel in two weeks of grand competition and controversy which, in the long run, will be perfect.

Dr. Phil

[identity profile] daveamongus.livejournal.com 2010-02-13 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Bob Costas really brought some snark to the introduction of the national teams. I was laughing unexpectedly a few times.

[identity profile] dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com 2010-02-13 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
A little can be fun. And I really like Bob Costas. But the Finnish thing was unfortunate.

Dr. Phil

[identity profile] wendyb-09.livejournal.com 2010-02-13 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
OK, anybody else think Fortress of Solitude when they saw the caldron?

Sez someone from the Olympic city with the infamous McDonald's french fry caldron...

[identity profile] dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com 2010-02-13 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm pretty sure I saw the one young man in the opening ceremonies throw the green crystal rod into the water projected on the floor -- and the Fortress caldron grew from that.

Dr. Phil

[identity profile] wendyb-09.livejournal.com 2010-02-13 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I suspected as much.