The Winter Olympics Are Here!

[northernguy]

Years of planning and construction have finally come to fruition!  The opening ceremonies are on now.  Somewhat hokey, but then they usually are.

[bocker3]

I still can not get over kd lang's amazing performance of Hallelujan -- it stole the entire show.

Can't find a full version of it due to copyright issues, but here is a small sample of it (the ending).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJ4BRapS_0

[GSOgymrat]

I have a high definition recording of k.d. lang singing "Hallelujah" live and she does an amazing job. She just came out with a new collection of her best songs and new material. I've already ordered it.

[WillyWump]

I LOVED the "Prairie Tribute" done to  Joni Mitchells "Both Sides Now"! The hot shaggy headed brunette guy did a great job. It was pretty touching to me. It reminded me of my occasional flying dreams that I oh so love!

-Will

[northernguy]

I still can not get over kd lang's amazing performance of Hallelujan -- it stole the entire show.

Can't find a full version of it due to copyright issues, but here is a small sample of it (the ending).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJ4BRapS_0

You can find it on her CD Hymns of the 49th Parallel.
http://www.amazon.com/Hymns-49th-Parallel-k-d-lang/dp/B000267J10

I enjoyed the show, though it was an uncharacteristic bit of chest-thumping from us Canadians.  

[WillyWump]

You can find it on her CD Hymns of the 49th Parallel.
http://www.amazon.com/Hymns-49th-Parallel-k-d-lang/dp/B000267J10

I enjoyed the show, though it was an uncharacteristic bit of chest-thumping from us Canadians.  

What really amazed me about "you Canadians" is that there are so few of you! 34 million?? (opening ceremonies are educational too)

[northernguy]

Speaking of hotties, the guy from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation can welcome me to the Olympics anytime:

[attachment deleted by admin]

[karry]

Speaking of hotties, the guy from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation can welcome me to the Olympics anytime:

  Oh I fell for him too...he's hotttttt!

[skeebo1969]

  Surprised no one has mentioned the guy who nailed the pole at 90 mph...  guess he didnt look so hot.

  I know, I know.. too early. 

[karry]

  Surprised no one has mentioned the guy who nailed the pole at 90 mph...  guess he didnt look so hot.

 

Its sad he had to go like that. I can barely imagine how his family and team mates feel.

[Joe K]

But leave it to the IOC to blame the poor guy, for his own death, when they left posts uncovered, in direct line with the 16th corner.  Forget the fact that they just heightened the walls on the last two turns.  Yes, blame the poor athlete, when you designed the course poorly, because it is his fault that there were no protective walls on those last two turns.

What a depressing start to any Olympics.

[Jody]

Yes Joe...The IOC will always cover itself, somewhat shamelessly, over the decades...remember Avery Brundige, he was the loveliest Nazi ever to hold the job.

But the concept of the Olympics, to have nations compete in sport as opposed to war is a fine concept indeed, if only did truly replace war.

And yes Bocker, kd Langs Hallelujah was extraordinary, in some ways one of the most inspirational performances I have ever seen.  Just magnificent.  I almost cried, but of course I'm a big boy! Yes I am!

Jody

[Rev. Moon]

But leave it to the IOC to blame the poor guy, for his own death, when they left posts uncovered, in direct line with the 16th corner.  Forget the fact that they just heightened the walls on the last two turns.  Yes, blame the poor athlete, when you designed the course poorly, because it is his fault that there were no protective walls on those last two turns.

That was really odd.  The IOC should accept responsibility.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/selena_roberts/02/12/luge.death/index.html?eref=sihp

One thing that I found unnecessary was the repeating of the scene where the poor guy gets killed.  Cruel and somewhat gory.

[GSOgymrat]

I have not seen the footage and I don't want to. Seeing people actually die on film is very disturbing. Images like that tend to haunt me.

[RapidRod]

When can an accidentl not just be an accident instead of trying to put blame on anyone?

[anniebc]

I still can not get over kd lang's amazing performance of Hallelujan -- it stole the entire show.

Can't find a full version of it due to copyright issues, but here is a small sample of it (the ending).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJ4BRapS_0

I agree 100%..what an amazing women, and a voice hard to beat...love K.D.

Hugs
Jan

[Matty the Damned]

When can an accidentl not just be an accident instead of trying to put blame on anyone?

You got it Roddles. Those who go slithering down an ice-tube at an alarming rate of knots should not be surprised when they end up collecting a stauncheon in a fatal way.

Name of the game.

MtD

[Ann]

When can an accidentl not just be an accident instead of trying to put blame on anyone?

Well, they've modified the track now (a little late) so to my mind, that seems like an admission of responsibility to me. The boarding and padding should have been in place to begin with.

photos of the track modifications

One thing that I found unnecessary was the repeating of the scene where the poor guy gets killed.  Cruel and somewhat gory.

NBC has removed the video from their website, so presumably it's no longer being shown on telly either. It's been removed from You Tube as well.

[RapidRod]

Well, they've modified the track now (a little late) so to my mind, that seems like an admission of responsibility to me. The boarding and padding should have been in place to begin with.

photos of the track modifications

NBC has removed the video from their website, so presumably it's no longer being shown on telly either. It's been removed from You Tube as well.

At those speeds that paddding isn't going to help at all and plywood and some 2x4s isn't going to stop one of those sleds.

[Ann]

 At those speeds that paddding isn't going to help at all and plywood and some 2x4s isn't going to stop one of those sleds.

It may not stop injuries, but it's likely to stop death.

[RapidRod]

It may not stop injuries, but it's likely to stop death.

Not at 90 mph. Same as hitting a tree in a car at 90 and a car has more protection than one of those sleds.

[Hellraiser]

I was thinking this the other day.  It really feels like they're just trying to make people feel better about it, the truth of the matter is Luge is incredibly dangerous (as are most of the winter sports).  Almost all of these athletes have a laundry list of injuries from participating in their sports.  Of note is the short track American skater who was very close to bleeding out on the ice from cutting himself with his skate a few months back.

The point of this is that these sports are very dangerous and there's really no way around it.  Every once in a while some unlucky soul is most likely going to die as a result of this.  That track in particular is the fastest on the planet I think?  Even with the modifications and the lower starting place for the men they are reaching speeds of 90 MPH whereas most Luge tracks >only< reach 80 MPH.  If you were to be thrown at a mattress wrapped around a steel girder with nothing else at 80 miles per hour the outcome would still be very bad.  The guy who died had already run the track 6 times before that I believe?  It was just really unfortunate circumstance considering the track has been run more than 5000 times in 2 years.

[northernguy]

Well, just one day left.  Hard to believe such a big, expensive event comes and goes so quickly.  All of Canada will be glued to their TV's on Sunday to see if the mens hockey team can beat the USA and take home gold.