[Spork]

A lot of those in any position just get plain comfortable in the job that they are performing, and feel that they have "paid their dues" to be lazy (incl. discourteous) and not give it their all. This should push a few people to put their best foot forward and hopefully give Vancouver an entirely positive light.

[nova9]

I think it's needed because I do believe that Vancouverites and BCers have the capacity to be rude to strangers and tourists. Add in top of the typical West Coast negativity (how did we ever get called Lotusland?!?!) and you have a situation that's ready to blow.

Some people just need the wake up call that ruining the games will bring its consequences for EVERYONE in the province - since they can't be stopped, they better start cheering......or at the very least, just be nice about opposition. (flame back in 3......2......1......)

[officedweller]

It's from being hardened by the panhandlers asking you for change everytime you set foot on the sidewalk.

[officedweller]

From G&M:

The Canadian Press
Cypress Mountain prepares for Games – and prays
The Globe and Mail
By Robert Matas and Wendy Stueck,
The Globe and Mail
Posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010 9:30 PM ET


Visibility under partly cloudy skies was unlimited from the slopes of Cypress Mountain yesterday, the site of the 2010 Winter Olympic snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions.

The temperature was just above freezing; no snow had fallen in the past 24 hours.

But despite the unseasonably warm weather, the Olympic venue 30 minutes away from downtown Vancouver was quickly taking shape. The courses were improving daily with snow made by machine and trucked in from higher altitudes, mountain staff said.

"Everyone on Cypress Mountain is optimistic about the conditions and we look forward to the arrival of Olympic athletes from around the world," said their website.

The warm weather has fuelled speculation that organizers will decide in the coming days to move the events to Whistler (90 minutes north of Vancouver) or Sun Peaks (400 kilometres east of the city.)

The Vancouver Olympic organizing committee, VANOC, is to hold a news conference Thursday morning at which it is expected to squelch the rumours with photos and video of the sites.

Earlier this week, Premier Gordon Campbell said he saw "impressive amounts of snow" at higher elevations during a helicopter tour of the mountain.

VANOC spokesman Renee Smith-Valade said yesterday the group is working flat out to prepare the venues.

"We're full steam ahead with preparing Cypress as the Olympic venue for snowboard and freestyle athletes. It's going to be a spectacular venue for the competitions," she wrote in an e-mail response to The Globe and Mail.

Preparations on the slopes have been continuing around the clock. Workers are pushing snow from higher altitudes down to a staging site, where it is trucked to the freestyle finish area and then pushed up to supplement snow on the Moguls course.

Also, helicopters are flying large hay bales to areas along the sky-and-snowboard cross course to help shape backing for the large banked corners. Meanwhile, the snowmaking team is producing machine-made snow for the Olympic courses.

Conditions may remain unchanged in the days leading up to the events. Brett Anderson, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.com, cautioned that predicting weather accurately for more than five days was difficult. But he detected some trends.

"We do not see any real cold weather between now and the Olympic games. That doesn't mean it can't snow - but the pattern does not support any Arctic air coming down."

[BCPhil]

Has anything beyond a 5 day forecast in winter ever been accurate in Vancouver?

[SpongeG]

^^ EL Nino years are usually accurate - november and december can be the most snowy but the rest is usually warm and rainy

----

some pics of the swiss house... pics by me - looks like they are setting up a TV studio there

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1719/dsc07142l.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7573/dsc07143.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/92/dsc07144.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5886/dsc07145f.jpg
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/5825/dsc07146.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6899/dsc07147o.jpg

[SpongeG]

Seattle Times

Your nitty-gritty guide to Vancouver — for the Games, or just for the party

By Story by Kristin Jackson; Photos by Erika Schultz

Seattle Times travel staff; Seattle Times staff photographer

PREV 1 of 7 NEXT



ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2010/01/27/2010852834.jpg
An AquaBus prepares to cast off from Granville Island to cross False Creek to downtown Vancouver, B.C. Mini-ferries are one of many ways to get around Vancouver for the Olympic Games -- and just for fun.



If you're headed to next month's Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. — or considering a last-minute trip, even just a day trip to join the fun — you don't need to hemorrhage money or get stuck in huge lineups.

Here are ways to cut Olympic hassles and costs, plus places to party and watch events even if you don't have tickets for the Feb. 12-28 Games.

Getting there

Driving could be painful as there will be congestion at the U.S.-Canada border; very tight restrictions on driving and parking in Vancouver; limited daytime access to the highway to Whistler; and no parking around any of the Olympic venues (and restricted resident-only parking on nearby streets).

To go car-free, Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) has two daily round-trip trains from Seattle to Vancouver. As of Wed-

nesday, tickets were available on most trains during the Olympics. Fares vary; $114 round-trip is typical for the period.

For a day trip, an early-morning train to Vancouver and evening train or bus back will give you five to six hours in the city. Or, if you're energetic and can stay up all night, the city's clubs and bars will be hopping and Grouse Mountain, just north of the city, even has 24-hour skiing during the Games. You'll avoid the $500-plus per night that Vancouver hotels are charging for an Olympics stay — yes, rooms are still available at some hotels — and you can sleep on the train or bus home the next morning.

Both Greyhound (www.greyhound.com) and Quick Shuttle (www.quickcoach.com) offer frequent daily buses between Seattle and Vancouver, and special lanes at the border help speed buses through. A Greyhound round trip starts around $40 with advance purchase.

Or Alaska Airlines and Air Canada have frequent Seattle-Vancouver flights.

Border and ID

While Canadian entry requirements are less stringent, U.S. citizens need a passport or other approved ID (such as Washington's enhanced driver's license) to return across the U.S.-Canada border; see www.getyouhome.gov.

If you're driving, get border information, both northbound and southbound, at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/border/. U.S. customs officials don't expect delays to exceed 90 minutes at peak times since some inspection lanes have been added at major crossings.

Signs near the border show delays at the Peace Arch crossing at Interstate 5 and the "truck crossing" on Pacific Highway about a half-mile east (open to all vehicles, despite the name), helping you choose the quickest one. Travelers also can cross farther east at Lynden (Aldergrove on the B.C. side).

Celebration sites

Don't have Olympics tickets? Head to Vancouver's two free LiveCity downtown sites to celebrate with a crowd of thousands.

LiveCity Downtown has a massive screen, concert stages, a beer garden and tented pavilions with interactive exhibits (including Canada's national pavilion and corporate sponsors' pavilions). It's at Georgia and Cambie streets and is open daily starting Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. (closes at 4 p.m. on Feb. 28).

LiveCity Yaletown will host nightly concerts by big-name Canadian and international musicians, and big

screens will show Olympic highlights. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the Olympics (shorter hours on the opening and closing days, Feb. 12 and 28). It's on the north shore of False Creek, at David Lam Park (Pacific Boulevard at Drake Street). See www.livecityvancouver.ca.

In the heart of downtown, Robson Square is another official celebration site. It will have big-screen Olympic broadcasts; free live entertainment; exhibits about British Columbia at the official B.C. pavilion (in the adjoining Vancouver Art Gallery) and free ice-skating at a newly refurbished public rink.

Richmond and Whistler also will have free public celebration sites:

Suburban Richmond, the host of speedskating at the Olympic Oval, offers the Richmond O Zone. Spread through public plazas, community buildings and a park, it will host free concerts, big-screen viewing of live Olympic events; virtual-reality games; food; fireworks and more. See www.richmondozone.ca.

Richmond's O Zone includes Holland Heineken House, the Dutch national pavilion known from past Olympics for some of the liveliest parties. Its main hall will hold 4,000 people and offer big screens, entertainment and food.

In the Whistler ski resort, Whistler Live! will bring free concerts, art exhibits, theater and big-screen Olympics viewing at six sites scattered along Whistler Village Stroll, the resort's main pedestrian-only thoroughfare. See a map and calendar of concerts and events at http://whistler2010.com/whistler-live.

Get maps of on-mountain venues and more at www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Other Vancouver street fun

Some downtown Vancouver streets will be pedestrian-only during the Games from noon to midnight daily, including in the trendy Yaletown neighborhood, which links the two LiveCity sites. Yaletown's renovated warehouses have been turned into restaurants, bars and condos.

Granville Island will be a party site with a French Canadian flavor. The four-block square islet, which houses a popular farmers' market, boutiques and galleries, will become "Place de la Francophonie" during the Olympics, with more than 100 free events, from mime artists to nightly concerts by musicians from Quebec and beyond; big-screen live Olympic broadcasts in French; and the Olympics-themed Club Adrenaline bar. See http://placefranco2010.ca.

Around the city, provincial governments and corporate sponsors' free pavilions will showcase their areas and offer entertainment; see links at www.tourismvancouver.com (click on 2010 Winter Games-related Events).

The Aboriginal Pavilion (next to LiveCity Downtown) will highlight the native cultures of Canada.

For something completely different, Molson Canadian Hockey House will be a pay-to-party, hockey-mad place with entertainment, gourmet food, veteran hockey stars and, of course, Olympic hockey games on big HD screens.

Or make your own mark on Vancouver through a light show celebrating the Olympics. Called Vectorial Elevation, it's one of the world's biggest interactive artworks with 20 powerful searchlights stationed on the shores of English Bay to create patterns in the night sky Feb. 4-28. Individuals from around the world can program light patterns online starting Feb. 4 (or perhaps a few days earlier in a test version) at www.vectorialvancouver.net.

Getting around

Locals and visitors are being urged to take public transit, walk and bike since the Vancouver area will be jammed with an estimated 350,000 extra people during the Olympics. Some downtown streets will be pedestrian-only; some lanes will be bus-only; and streets around Olympic venues will be closed for security.

The SkyTrain (including its new Canada Line) is a light-rail system connecting downtown, suburbs (including Richmond, home to Olympic speed skating) and the Vancouver airport. It's fast once aboard, but officials anticipate hour or longer delays to board after major events such as the Games' opening and closing ceremonies. Transit info: http://travelsmart2010.caOn the south side of False Creek, the new 1.6-mile Olympic Line Streetcar will run for a two-month free demonstration. It links Granville Island to the Olympic Village station of the Canada Line (at Cambie Street and West Second Avenue). See http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/gettingaround/publictransit/olympic-line/Ticket-holders to Olympic events can use the Olympic Bus Network, especially useful for getting to events at Cypress Mountain, on the outskirts of Vancouver, and to Whistler, about 80 miles north.

No private vehicles are allowed on Cypress. To take a private vehicle to Whistler, drivers must show permits confirming they have parking (hotels provide permits to guests) in Whistler. There will be a checkpoint on the highway just north of Squamish, with travel on Highway 99 (the Sea to Sky Highway) restricted northbound beyond that point to permit holders from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 11-28.

Book Olympic bus tickets in advance and get details on the Whistler highway permits at http://travelsmart2010.ca (click on "Mountain Venues").

Private buses and shuttles also go between Vancouver and Whistler, including Greyhound Canada (www.greyhound.ca), Pacific Coach Lines (www.pacificcoach.com) and Ridebooker (www.ridebooker.com). Get instructions on reaching each venue by public transit at the official Olympics site, www.vancouver2010.com. Click on "Spectator Guide," then "Venues."

Much of the Olympics action will be around False Creek, a narrow inlet on the south edge of downtown. On its shores are BC Place (the 55,000-seat stadium where opening and closing ceremonies and nightly medal ceremonies will be held); Canada Hockey Place (ice hockey competition); the Olympic Village, temporary home to 2,700 athletes; and the popular Granville Island neighborhood. False Creek Ferries and the AquaBus run dozen-passenger mini-ferries that will shuttle almost constantly across the narrow False Creek from Granville Island to the downtown side. See www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca and www.theaquabus.com.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2010/01/22/2010867371.jpg
The new Canada Line rapid-transit route links downtown Vancouver and the airport. Kurn Bains, 21, rides the train after snowboarding near the city.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2010/01/26/2010889297.gif
...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2010906405_nwwolympics28.html?cmpid=2628

[raggedy13]

Some Olympic-related pics I snapped earlier tonight:

Info boards have popped up very suddenly all over downtown, this one is at Robson & Thurlow...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4311172440_4a091d66ec_b.jpg

The new garbage bag system appears to be in use...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4310433183_9c46c5119a_b.jpg

This sign was on a street pole on the south side of Robson, between Thurlow & Burrard. Haven't yet noticed any others like it anywhere else. I know a few other forumers would know better than me but I believe this says welcome in Japanese...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4310435043_e4c5058c83_b.jpg

Not sure when it happened but the info booth outside the VAG on Robson is different now, with an interesting wood exterior...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4311175520_f9207f9db9_b.jpg

The former info booth...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3756542424_e456959c43_b.jpg

Zip line tower...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4310438715_4c169f01d2_b.jpg

Sears power washing ongoing...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4310440977_ce9f763e9c_b.jpg

McDonald's advertising on Granville...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4311240358_b55f05232c_b.jpg

That's all.

[SpongeG]

there is one of those olympics signs near the VAG i think its in dutch it say velkommen i think... its by the stairs to the rink...

[Delirium]

here's a closer look at the new lighting at canada place.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4310654695_0079500af5.jpg
photo by Canada Place on flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/35156139@N05/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4311392782_72fdabd8d3.jpg
photo by Canada Place on flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/35156139@N05/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4310654739_bc16c9d1c1.jpg
photo by Canada Place on flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/35156139@N05/

village canoe
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4307618049_3e471f03a8.jpg
^From February 12-28, the lobby of the Pan Pacific Hotel will be transformed into an Aboriginal village called “Kla-how-ya”, a word recognized by Aboriginal Nations meaning “welcome”.

A partnership between the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (AtBC), the Pan Pacific Hotel and Terasen Gas, the stunning 16-day showcase of Aboriginal art, performances, culture is free to residents and visitors during the upcoming 2010 Games.

[David]

those signs are up all along Robson down the whole pedestrian corridor area with welcome in different languages

[mr.x]

The Canada Pavilion - an unimaginative $10-million glorified tent?
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/21531--canadian-pavilion-not-getting-much-support

[sacrifice333]

The new Canada Place lighting is really cool and I imagine they can very easily, and quickly, update the projected images to practically anything! :banana:

[djh]

The Canada Pavilion - an unimaginative $10-million glorified tent?
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/21531--canadian-pavilion-not-getting-much-support

Yeah, I read about the $10m tent that the Feds are building.
$10 MILLION for a tent? And according to the Globe and Mail, there is not much happening in it! So how is it even possible to blow that much money on a tent?!

The contract was awarded in November 2009 - talk about last minute. So they probably got bilked because they were in a crunch and had no plan in place. Funny, since we've known about the Olympics since 2004, how come the Canada Pavilion planning didn't start back then?!

[SpongeG]

it won't open before the Olympics either not till the day after they start - way to blow it Canaduh

[vanman]

They should shroud the zip line tower scaffolding in an olympic related wrap, or maybe I'm just jumping the gun that is all part of the plan.

[nobase2010]

4fu3MkvC3w0

[Yume-sama]

Forgive me if this was posted before...

Australia's Winter Olympic Promo

#1
ScmOSjW1QNs

#2
zHz9wljqonM

#3
wXNZG55vXMU

NBC
dmNMWFgKdoo

NBC (extended)
TbB9RK32no0

NHK Japanese 2010 Winter Olympic Theme Song!!
IfUaGyDj62A

I'm trying to find a lot of them on Youtube from all over the World. I quite like the Japanese theme song.

[whatnext]

The Canada Pavilion - an unimaginative $10-million glorified tent?
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/21531--canadian-pavilion-not-getting-much-support

Now, now remember it is verboten to criticize. :whip: ;)

And yes, the tent is lame, especially in light of what was done in Turin and Beijing.

[hollywoodnorth]

www.venueenergytracker.com

real time power monitoring of all the venues!

[Waders]

Let's pray that BC Place's roof can last till after the Olympic game is finished.:(

Source: News article at 24 Hours Vancouver http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2010/01/28/12655161.html

BC Place roof document: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2010/01/28/bcplace.pdf

Stadium roof deteriorated

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS

The roof of Vancouver’s Olympic stadium worsened in less than a year, according to inspection reports obtained by 24 hours.

FabriTec Structures’ service manager Larry Keene reported on June 12, 2009, that B.C. Place Stadium’s air-supported fabric roof membrane, sectionalizing, perimeter/ring/cone clamping, and cables/hardware/anchorage were in “fair” condition. No grade was given to related structural steel components.

His Aug. 15, 2008, inspection, however, rated the six key items “good”. Both reports labelled the liner of the 27-year-old roof “poor” and included the footnote “very dirty”.

Keene wrote in a July 24, 2009, covering letter that “the outer fabric appears to be structurally sound. However, the fabric is starting to show its age, without removing some fabric test panels there is no way to really determine the remaining strength of the fabric”.

“I would assume this is an expense no one is looking to incur given the remaining timeline of the roof,” he wrote.

Contacted on Thursday, Keene declined to comment. He hung up the phone after he was asked if a proposed pre-Olympic inspection occurred. The Games’ opening ceremony is in two weeks.

Stadium management didn't respond to an interview request, but International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge dismissed worries during a teleconference.

“We know of course about the two incidents that affected the roof. Our teams have worked very closely with VANOC and we have received all the assurances that the roof will not leak or blow away,” he said.

The roof ripped and collapsed under snow on Jan. 5, 2007. An unattended roof panel inverted two weeks ago during a rainstorm and water flooded into the stadium like a waterfall.

[Yume-sama]

:) Spring / Summer can't come soon enough for BC Place. Let's just hope it can survive those rather vital 17 days.

[red-paladin]

We can't prove towerguy right and have the roof burst can we?

[mr.x]

We can't prove towerguy right and have the roof burst can we?

Technically, he believes that the cauldron inside the dome would explode...nevertheless, by now he's in some CSIS detention cell.


It's unbelievably incompetent of Pavco and the province that they didn't do anything about BC Place much earlier.

[wrenegade]

Looks like Clara Hughes will be named our Flagbearer. Excellent choice.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2010/01/29/clara-hughes-to-be-named-olympic-flagbearer-report.aspx

[nova9]

And it seems like no Cheerios color for Canada Post. 24 and Metro have pictures of staff at the building unfurling the huge Canadian flag. Yay!!!

[SpongeG]

awww

lol

[Yume-sama]

Looks like Clara Hughes will be named our Flagbearer. Excellent choice.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2010/01/29/clara-hughes-to-be-named-olympic-flagbearer-report.aspx

:notacrook: Yay, I called it.

[officedweller]

Stands for the floodlights on the south side of the entrance to False Creek near Vanier Park have been erected. They should be installed soon. Not sure about the north side.

[mr.x]

Pictures of the COC Olympic logo made of cranberries floating in the Fraser and the container inukshuk:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richmondozone/4314304816/


The COC logo is going to be massive. o_O Still, I wish they wouldn't be using food when millions out there are starving.

The inukshuk was a bit overhyped, disappointing to say the least.

[GeeCee]

Two weeks to go!!

I'm rather disappointed by the container inukshuk as well..

[Yume-sama]

Pictures of the COC Olympic logo made of cranberries floating in the Fraser and the container inukshuk:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richmondozone/4314304816/


The COC logo is going to be massive. o_O Still, I wish they wouldn't be using food when millions out there are starving.

The inukshuk was a bit overhyped, disappointing to say the least.

Yes, I still maintain this is a perfect reason why the developing World holds the West in such contempt.

It's not the best... PR, I guess. Cool idea. But, really? :frog:

You all know I'm not really a bleeding heart, but, I think anyone can see how this can be twisted and turned politically :P

[David]

SFU Harbour Centre is in the midst of being converted into German House today. New hardwood floor being laid over the tiles, and the classroom names are being taken down./covered

[zivan56]

Don't know if this was posted, but a map from December saying which country/house is where and whether it is public or private:
http://www.downtownvancouver.net/catalog/attachments/DVBIA%202010%20Activity%20Map%20Dec%2015.pdf

Looks like that Harbour Centre German House will be private only.

[Yume-sama]

I'm thinking their definition of private may not be the real definition of private. Example, Swiss house is definitely not private. But, they mark it as private.

Same with Canada House, and countless others.

Also, a big LOL at China house being at a CASINO. Way to play up that stereotype.

[zivan56]

Well at least its a map of the locations in downtown.
Btw, anybody notice the huge number of completely white buses from the US? Apparently most of the charter buses will come from US companies even though there are plenty available locally.

[deasine]

Well at least its a map of the locations in downtown.
Btw, anybody notice the huge number of completely white buses from the US? Apparently most of the charter buses will come from US companies even though there are plenty available locally.

They're quite ugly and old. I wouldn't want to be sitting on one of those.
I wonder how are new refurbished 98 B-Lines look like now...

[SpongeG]

has anybody heard what celebrities are coming for the games?

the peak was listing off a long list of them yesterday adn the only ones I can remember are George Clooney, Nicole Kidman and Sean Puffy Combs

[officedweller]

From NW:

Games will be safe: Premier

BRITISH COLUMBIA/CKNW(AM980)

1/29/2010

As the Mounties continue to search for two missing tons of ammonium nitrate destined for a warehouse in Metro Vancouver, BC's Premier says he's confident the upcoming Olympics will be safe.

"I think we're ready. I think that the team is ready. I think the security group is ready. We're going to be fine. We're going to have a great time at our games."

Gordon Campbell says he's not especially worried the same chemical used in the Oklahoma City bombing could end up in the wrong hands, "For all the work and time and effort, we have to be extremely diligent and vigilant as we go through these games. For all of the great feelings that people have, there's going to be some people that try and take advantage of the games for other purposes."

Officials at Kinder Morgan --the company responsible for the missing chemicals-- initially claimed the ammonium nitrate was missing because of a 'clerical' error, RCMP Investigators have confirmed they're still trying to track it down.

[Locked In]

Of course, naturally. How could it have been anyone else?


Why Wayne Gretzky will open the Olympics

The Globe and Mail

By Gary Mason, The Globe and Mail Posted Saturday, January 30, 2010 1:03 PM ET

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/mm/photo/sports/ctvo/01/99/33/19933_m15.jpg

John Furlong can count on one hand the number of people who know who will light the Olympic cauldron in two weeks.

"But if word ever got out," the chief executive officer of the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee told me recently, "we would make a change and anyone who might be affected knows this. We are determined to keep it a surprise."

Fair enough. Who'd want to ruin the Games' great wow moment?

But that hasn't stifled rampant speculation or stopped Facebook groups from being formed to build momentum behind a particular candidate. At last look, a site demanding that the cauldron be lit by Betty Fox - mother of one-legged Marathon of Hope runner Terry - had more than 120,000 members.

Besides, now that we know who will be Canada's flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies - Clara Hughes - the identity of the person lighting the cauldron is the last great Olympic secret left.

I'll confess to being a little obsessed with knowing who it is. Today I will hazard my best guess based on nothing more than hunch and intuition. Although, when you see my choice, you'll likely say a Tanzanian monkey could have arrived at the same conclusion.

You may be right.

The list of realistic candidates is becoming shorter by the day, as those of us consumed with solving this riddle know.

Senator Nancy Greene Raine, for instance, was on most people's list. She has gold-medal credentials as a former Olympic skier. But when she was named Canada's Olympic ambassador for the Games two weeks ago, it seemed unlikely she would be asked to be the last to carry the torch as well. Then when she carried the flame this week in Kamloops, that cinched the deal.

She was out.

Man-in-Motion Rick Hansen was also on most short lists, often in the No. 1 position. Born in B.C., Hansen was an amazing disabled athlete, known internationally, who embodied the best of the Olympic ideals. His bona fides to be the cauldron lighter were impeccable. Some imagined a scenario where Betty Fox and Hansen lit it together.

Then it was announced this week that Hansen will carry the flame in Richmond, B.C., three days before the Olympics.

Scratch him.

Former Vancouver Canucks great Trevor Linden has made it on some people's roster of candidates, but I don't see it. A wonderful person and former Olympian, Linden is adored in the host city. But he's not a name nationally or internationally. He'll run with the torch somewhere, but not into the stadium on opening day.

For me, the choice is between Betty Fox and Wayne Gretzky.

Fox would be an inspiring choice, without doubt. The memory of her son's courageous journey to raise money for cancer research is as strong as ever. The name Terry Fox resonates globally. And Fox has been about as perfect a custodian and guardian of her son's dreams and ambitions that you could find. Still, when I close my eyes and imagine that moment, I don't see her lighting the cauldron.

Maybe passing the torch to the person who does, or running with the flame through the neighbourhood in Coquitlam, B.C., where she raised Terry, but not lighting the cauldron.

Which leaves Gretzky.

In some ways, he seems too obvious a choice. I mean, when you think of guarding a big international secret like the one Furlong has under his coat, you don't think of someone who inspires: "Ah, well, that's a little obvious isn't it?" But that's what Furlong is counting on.

"When the moment happens," Furlong said, "I hope that everyone watching will say, 'Of course, naturally. How could it have been anyone else?' "

There is not a more iconic athlete in the nation, a winter sports athlete at that, than Gretzky. While his image is not quite as pristine and untarnished as it once was, the former hockey superstar is still widely loved and respected in his home country. He is an international brand name whose image is instantly recognizable from Tokyo to Moscow.

He is also a former Olympian (Nagano, 1998) and, of course, owns a gold medal as the executive director of the Canadian men's hockey team that won it all at the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, one of the greatest Olympic moments in our country's history.

Think of the picture that will be beamed around the world when that memorable moment arrives, when the Olympic cauldron is lit to signal the opening of the 2010 Winter Games. When people see that it's Wayne Gretzky, you can imagine their reaction: "Of course, how could it have been anyone else?"

Source: Globe and Mail (http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=28602.html#why+wayne+gretzky+will+open+olympics)

[VanHowe]

I hope that if that is true that Betty at least hands the torch to Wayne with some sort of acknowledgment of Terry Fox.
We have seen those CTV Do you believe ads for awhile now. Apparently this is the song that defines the campaign. Could this be the Olympic anthem so to speak for Vancouver?
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
I believe together we'll fly
I believe in the power of you and I

This is the moment
We have dreamed of all our lives
We'll be the change we wish from others
Will stand tall for what is right

And in my heart there'll be no doubt
The arms of the world will come reaching out
And embrace me to be all I can be
No, nothing can stop me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIyUBdukE0M&feature=related

[hollywoodnorth]

Betty Fox would be a joke........people would enter the Stadium walking past the PIECE OF SHIT Terry Fox memorial on Robson and Beatty........that thing is a JOKE.

here we are wanting to show respect to Terry Fox by having his mom light the thing...sure I hear ya and even agree........BUT IF WE TRULY RESPECT TERRY WHAT THE F**K ABOUT THE MEMORIAL? that thing is such a POS it makes me cringe......it's an embarrassment.....

[vanman]

^Completely agree. They should bulldoze it and build something that is worthy of a Terry Fox memorial, not an 80s pomo clusterfuck.

[Yume-sama]

I don't like the choice of Wayne Gretzky. What, exactly has he accomplished on an International stage, aside from losing in 1998? But it's better than the alternative of Fox.

Just don't see what at all Terry Fox has to do with the Winter Olympics. He's not really relevant (and his mother is REALLY not relevant), and I've been getting Terry Fox saturation every single year since I was in grade school.

Did I just commit some cardinal sin of Canadian "culture" :P?

[nova9]

yes you did. haha.

the nature of our nation does not allow for an easy choice. every candidate will have their naysayers. makes things very difficult.

would you rather see someone that best represents BC or best represents Canada?

[Yume-sama]

It should probably be someone who best represents Canadian (winter) sport. So, an argument could be made for Wayne Gretzky as he is the best representative of *the* Canadian sport.

He's a big name, I guess. When it comes down to it, who will people in every other Country have at least heard of before? Even an American can equate him with Michael Jordan :P

But, I don't like him personally lol

[GeeCee]

He's pretty well-known around the world for his accomplishments in playing hockey. Most americans, at least, if they don't know anything about hockey whatsoever will be able to name Wayne Gretzky..

[VanHowe]

The reason why the Fox family is "relevant" to the Olympics is stated in your last post. Every school in Canada I am sure does Terry Fox Runs in Canada and they happen in many other countries as well. His dream is still alive and he will continue to inspire others. He is a household name for most Canadians who have grown up learning about his story. At least a reference to him will give a platform for the world to learn about his story which raises so much money for cancer research. We are breaking all the rules anyway by being the first indoor Olympic opening ceremony. Why not piggyback on Beijing and have an effigy of Terry run around the circumference of the roof.

[Yume-sama]

That doesn't make him relevant to the Winter Olympics.

Pan-Am games in Toronto, sure, why not :P

[SpongeG]

maybe they should use anne of green gables

[Yume-sama]

maybe they should use anne of green gables

Or Winnie the Pooh. Yes, the author was British, but Canada often claims Winnie the Pooh based on the fact the bear was from Canada. And named after Winnipeg.

[Spork]

My vote is for a well trained performance polar bear. Sure it would only be able to stumble on its hind legs with a flame strapped to its paw for about 10 feet, but imagine the sight! They could hand out donation forms for WWF during the ceremonies! Genius! :banana:

[SpongeG]

how about norm grohman

[mr.x]

The reason why the Fox family is "relevant" to the Olympics is stated in your last post. Every school in Canada I am sure does Terry Fox Runs in Canada and they happen in many other countries as well. His dream is still alive and he will continue to inspire others. He is a household name for most Canadians who have grown up learning about his story. At least a reference to him will give a platform for the world to learn about his story which raises so much money for cancer research. We are breaking all the rules anyway by being the first indoor Olympic opening ceremony. Why not piggyback on Beijing and have an effigy of Terry run around the circumference of the roof.

If Terry were still alive, sure he would be a great choice as the final torch bearer.

But he has been DEAD for 30 YEARS...and you want his MOTHER to light it?



I have great respect for Terry, but am I the only one to not see the insanity of that Facebook group?

[Yume-sama]

All I know is more people watch the Opening Ceremony than will end up watching the entire rest of the Olympics, expecting big things. We better not screw that up :P

It's a 2 hour commercial for Vancouver. We best use it wisely, and not be typically Canadian mediocre, that nobody other than us will understand.

I can't even bring myself to watch a Canadian award show like the Juno's where we have to pay people to stand by the red carpet and act like they are fans!

[mr.x]

All I know is more people watch the Opening Ceremony than will end up watching the entire rest of the Olympics, expecting big things. We better not screw that up :P

It's a 2 hour commercial for Vancouver. We best use it wisely, and not be typically Canadian mediocre, that nobody other than us will understand.

I can't even bring myself to watch a Canadian award show like the Juno's where we have to pay people to stand by the red carpet and act like they are fans!

I don't think David Atkins would associate himself with mediocrity after his stunning shows at Sydney and Doha. I'm sure BC Place is spectacular inside right now, the only thing worrying might be the content: too much focus on the aboriginals/"First Four First Host Hations"...that gets repeated a lot, even during yesterday's announcement for the flag bearer at the opening.






BTW, interesting insight on the Ceremonies from someone at GB:


Some small speculation about the structure of the ceremonies considering David Atkins last two ceremonies works:

1) Sydney 2000 had probably the best national anthem performance ever on an OC. Qatar anthem was pretty good as well on the 2006 Asiad. Probably they'll make a great rendition of the Canadian anthem.
2) Both ceremonies had a huge stage at one of the tribunes of the stadia (NOTE: After seeing how the seats are distributed i'm not sure if this will happen again on Vancouver) MR.X EDIT: yes, there will be a large stage at one end of the stadium...it looks a lot like Sydney's
2) Both Doha and Sydney had young kids as the main characters of the ceremonies storyline, which was an element that connected the performances each other. I'm looking for something different this time.
3) Doha and Sydney had like three or four song performances on the OC (while Beijing and Athens only had like one or two). They would probably use a couple of song to open and/or conclude the parade of nations, and a song for the last leg of the torch relay before reaching the cauldron.
4) They used lots of horses (and elephants in Doha) on both of these ceremonies. And since Canada has the RCMP...

[SpongeG]

If Terry were still alive, sure he would be a great choice as the final torch bearer.

But he has been DEAD for 30 YEARS...and you want his MOTHER to light it?



I have great respect for Terry, but am I the only one to not see the insanity of that Facebook group?

no stupidest idea ever and I will say it

[Yume-sama]

no stupidest idea ever and I will say it

:frog: Well, stupider would be Gordon Campbell handing off the torch to Stephen Harper, but this is close enough. :haha:

[jlousa]

I'd like to see Gordy Howe light the flame, he's Mr. Hockey and who better to represent Canada. He has ties to Vancouver with his involvement in the Giants as well. He should light it to Stompin Tom's Good ole hockey game playing over the speakers. Who care if the rest of the world is looking at us dumbstruck, we'd all be smiling.

[SpongeG]

is this the post office one?

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/ade42d9d-4b2e-4d9b-8ee3-fb2a6900f261.jpg
espn olympics photo wire (http://espn.go.com/espn/apphoto/photo?photoId=2447732&sportId=3000)
Construction workers walk on the top of a temporary stage being constructed for Winter Olympics festivities as one-half of an oversized Canadian flag covers the side of a building in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. Over the past few weeks the city has been transformed with businesses being decorated and Olympic banners and advertising going up. The games open February 12. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

[SpongeG]

Get a head start on Vancouver Olympics buzz

Associated Press

A skier from Ghana? Americans starring in biathlon and Nordic combined? Here's a head start on some of the stories everybody will be buzzing about once the Vancouver Olympics begin.

---

The art of riding the halfpipe evolves quickly and lots of things have changed since the last Olympics, much of it driven by the increase in the height of the pipe from 18 to 22 feet.

It has allowed riders to take bigger risks, mainly in the form of what's known as a double-corkscrew, or double-cork jump, in which the rider goes up the wall and flips twice, head over feet, while doing any number of combinations of between one and 3½ spins.

Up until about December, it appeared riders who could string two double-cork jumps together during a run would have the best chance of winning Olympic gold. And it appeared the world's best, Shaun White, along with Louie Vito of "Dancing with the Stars" fame, and a Swiss star named Iouri Podladtchikov -- "I-Pod" -- were among the very few who could do it.

Unexpectedly, though, a rider named Danny Davis came along and not only strung two together, but added a third double-cork at the end of his run to beat White in a meet in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

That sent White back to the drawing board to work on the most difficult double cork in the world, the Double McTwist 1260 -- in which he crams 3½ rotations into his two head-over-heels flips. Dangerous? Yes. But a winner, indeed. He took the last two Olympic qualifying events with ease, in part because of that and in part because he flies higher above the pipe than anyone in the world.

---

The Snow Leopard is not Eddie the Eagle.

Fans fell for Michael Edwards at the 1988 Calgary Games, cheering for the first British man to compete in Olympic ski jumping despite -- or, probably, because of -- his lack of experience and ability, and his last-place finish.

"I am not, and will not end up being, an Eddie the Eagle at the end of the day," said Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, a skier from that winter sports hotbed of Ghana. "Because, to me, sports is a serious thing."

Nkrumah-Acheampong is the West African nation's first Winter Olympian.

Nicknamed "The Snow Leopard," he skis in a leopard-print racing suit. He's been in the sport for only about five years, and much of his training is done at an indoor ski hill about an hour north of London.

"It is like crossing the Sahara desert and getting to the end and getting a very cold drink and a lovely cold shower," he said of making the Olympics. "You think about, 'Wow, did I make that journey?"

---

Remember Brian Orser?

He was half of the "Battle of the Brians" at the 1988 Calgary Games, the showdown in men's figure skating between American Brian Boitano and the Canadian. Boitano edged his rival to win.

Now Orser has another chance to celebrate a gold medal in his home country. He coaches the favorite on the women's side, reigning world champion Kim Yu-na of South Korea.

"I don't know if it would take any of the sting away from '88, actually, because this is all her thing and I want it to be her experience," he said. "I've moved on from the Olympics in '88. It took a long time -- it took a really long time -- to put it into perspective.

"And now I find myself where I am now, and it's really, really exciting. All that knowledge and all that wisdom -- what if I had won? I wouldn't have learned any lessons that now I can pass it on to Yu-na."

Before last season, the pressure was starting to get to Kim. One day, Orser took her to the middle of the ice and told her, "There's nobody else in this rink that knows what you're going through, except for me."

"I could just see her shoulders come down, and she took a deep breath," he recalled. "I said, 'You've got to skate for you.' I think that helped her a lot, just knowing there's somebody in this space that actually really knows."

There could have been a Battle of the Coach Brians in Vancouver. Boitano does some work with American Alissa Czisny, but the defending U.S. champion failed to qualify.

---

Time to dig out that "Cool Runnings" DVD. The Jamaicans are back.

And not just in bobsled.

Like the group that reached the 1988 Calgary Olympics and inspired the Disney movie, some aspiring track stars from the Caribbean island nation are headed to Vancouver. Though they'd appreciate if you'd hold off on the "Cool Runnings" jokes.

And their driver would prefer to be known for more than his distinctive name. Hannukkah Wallace's mother was pregnant and working at a jewelry store at the airport in Kingston when a tourist suggested "Hanukkah" for her soon-to-be-born son's name. Somehow an extra "n" got added along the way.

The bobsledders probably aren't medal contenders, but an athlete in another sport could make the podium under the black, green and yellow flag. Errol Kerr is a contender in the new Olympic event of skicross.

Born to an American mother and a Jamaican father, Kerr grew up a dual citizen between Lake Tahoe, where he moved with his mother as a child, and Westmoreland, Jamaica's westernmost parish.

His background in Alpine skiing, motocross and BMX makes him the perfect fit for the hybrid sport, in which Kerr could win the first Winter Olympic medal for the country of his late father. Skicross features a mass start and head-to-head racing on a course full of turns and banks.

---

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with rifle marksmanship and is the most popular winter sport in Europe; Nordic combined couples the elegance and technical grace of ski jumping with the stamina of cross-country skiing.

American fans may want to brush up on these sports, because American athletes have real chances to win the country's first Olympic medal in each.

At last year's Nordic world championships, Todd Lodwick and Billy Demong combined for three gold medals. The United States had won only one world championship ever in Nordic combined.

In December, Tim Burke became the first American to lead the World Cup biathlon standings. And his teammate, Jay Hakkinen, nearly broke the medal drought in Turin, when a split bullet that hit the target but failed to drop cost him the bronze in the 10-kilometer race.

An athlete from a more traditional biathlon country also will be trying to rewrite the Olympic record books. Norway's Ole Einar Bjorndalen has won nine medals, five gold. If he repeats his feat from 2002 of sweeping four golds, he'd break fellow Norwegian Bjorn Daehlie's Winter Games mark of eight golds in cross country from 1992-98. He needs three medals of any color to match Daehlie's record 12.

...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=oly&id=4872802

[Locked In]

David Lam Live Site update:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S2TIjqJN6HI/AAAAAAAACaw/ps0x4kqZYo4/s800/IMG_1103.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S2TIkug4kOI/AAAAAAAACa0/BvPA7Y3aIOU/s800/IMG_1104.JPG

(my photos, taken today)

[SpongeG]

this sounds pretty cool!

Radio station's Russian deal 'cool'
Autoradio will broadcast live over local airwaves

By Kent Spencer, The Province

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.theprovince.com/sports/2010wintergames/Radio+station+Russian+deal+cool/2497639/2497640.bin
CISL host Gerry O'Day (left) and Ronnie Stanton, Astral Radio operations manager, are happy that Russian radio is coming to the Vancouver Olympics.
Photograph by: Les Bazso, The Province, The Province

The Russians are coming -- to CISL-650 radio in Vancouver.

Autoradio, a Russian station founded in 1993, signed a deal with the Vancouver AM station Thursday to broadcast Russian content over the station's local airwaves during the Winter Olympics.

Brad Phillips of Astral Radio, CISL's parent company, believes the deal is the first of its kind.

"It is part of the world coming to Vancouver and being reflected back to Russia," he said.

Phillips believes the Russians' presence will add to the Games' international flavour.

"This is a cool thing. We'd probably never do it again, but it's a chance to be part of an exchange of culture," he said.

The broadcast, which cost the Russians an undisclosed fee, will provide an on-the-spot presence for their home listeners as well as an audience of 60,000 Russian-Canadians in Vancouver.

Autoradio will be based at the Sochi Building, the Russian team headquarters at the revamped Science World facility on False Creek, which has been reconfigured to showcase the next Winter Olympics at Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

Phillips said the station broadcasts to "millions" of Russians at 300 stations across the country.

"They're really professional," said Phillips, who has been in Moscow, working out the details.

The Russians have promised to abide by 30-per-cent Canadian-content rules, meaning the likes of Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan will hit the airwaves.

With a 12-hour time difference, the Russians will broadcast between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. PST Feb. 12 to 28.

...

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/2010wintergames/Radio+station+Russian+deal+cool/2497639/story.html

[SpongeG]

Olympic spirit dampened as vandals ruin Israeli flags

Vandals have attempted to dampen Olympic spirit by attacking Israeli flag decals displayed along Vancouver’s sidewalks.

Two Israeli flag emblems have disappeared from South Granville after they were sloshed with paint and the words “Free Palestine” were scrawled on them last month.

“There are unfortunately incidents of all kinds aimed at all kinds of different people, different faiths, different minority groups, etc.,” Mark Gurvis, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver told The Province.

“It’s not shocking to us that this happens in the world and it’s not shocking to us that the flag of Israel would be targeted,” said Gurvis.

“It’s very sad that this would happen in the midst of the Olympics, at a time when our region will be welcoming the world, that something like this would be happening.”

The emblems, which were at the entrance of the Starbucks at 7th Avenue and Granville Street and on Granville between 12th and 14th Avenues, were removed by the South Granville Business Improvement Association on Dec. 26.

The decals are part of Flagwalk, a display of some 450 international flags from 80 countries participating in winter sporting events that crawl along through Yaletown to South Granville.

The spots where the flags were have remained empty for the time being as the BIAs had not factored in multiple replacement costs.

...

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Olympic+spirit+dampened+vandals+ruin+Israeli+flags/2496971/story.html

[SpongeG]

these have gone up on cambie - i noticed them yesterday for the first time

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4315141713_0cda2f0074_o.jpg
flickr alexleekt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleekt/)

[SpongeG]

the molson mural is huge and looks complete!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/4315619892_8a88f68423_o.jpg
flickr Peter1619 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44704493@N07/)

[sacrifice333]

the molson mural is huge and looks complete!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/4315619892_8a88f68423_o.jpg
flickr Peter1619 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44704493@N07/)

Looks good!

[Yume-sama]

The emblems, which were at the entrance of the Starbucks at 7th Avenue and Granville Street

See, now, THAT is the problem. Place it directly in-front of a store that every left wing poli-sci / liberal arts student will be at. :P

[GeeCee]

I checked and confirmed that the area around Canada Place WILL be open to pedestrians during the Games. It will just be closed to vehicle traffic as it is right now. So you'll be able to see the cauldron or whatever it is that they're building down there..

[SpongeG]

good to know

[osirisboy]

these have gone up on cambie - i noticed them yesterday for the first time

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4315141713_0cda2f0074_o.jpg
flickr alexleekt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleekt/)

I have also seen them on hastings and georgia

[giallo]

Saw Vancouver 2010 ads in the subway here in Shanghai. I'll try snap a few pictures next time.

[Prometheus]

Check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clive_c/4315701256/

[Waders]

Check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clive_c/4315701256/

Thanks. The USA Today article is at this link http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2010-01-29-canada-host-win_N.htm

[officedweller]

That Canadian flag is the Hotel Georgia one with the Art Gallery log house in the foreground.

The flag on the Post Office is on the east facade - which is odd - normally for Canada Day they hang it on the south (Georgia) facade (after covering up the coats of arms to prevent ripping the flag. There are cherry pickers on the Georgia side, but the coats of arms have not been covered up. Wonder whether anything will go up on the Georgia side?

[Denscity]

Saw Vancouver 2010 ads in the subway here in Shanghai. I'll try snap a few pictures next time.

That's so cool!! Ya pictures please!

[SpongeG]

Thaty Canadain fladg is teh Hotel Georgia one with the Art alery log house in the foreground.

The flag on the Post Office is on the east facade - which is odd - normally for Canada Day they hang it on the south (Georgia) facade (after covering up the coats of arms to prevent ripping the flag. There are cherry pickers on the Georgia side, but the coats of arms have not been covered up. Wonder whether anything will go up on the Georgia side?

maybe the cheerios wrap will still happen than

the east side is visible from the canada house city live site so makes sense

[touraccuracy]

maybe linden should light the flame... he won a gold in salt lake, he's a local hero, he does tons for charities, he represented all hockey players, he just retired. eh why not?


Thaty Canadain fladg is teh Hotel Georgia one with the Art alery log house in the foreground.

say what? :haha:

[officedweller]

say what? :haha:

Foggy contacts...

[Locked In]

maybe linden should light the flame... he won a gold in salt lake, he's a local hero, he does tons for charities, he represented all hockey players, he just retired. eh why not?


Not that I don't think he should carry the torch at some point - he most certainly should as a local hero and former Olympian - but Linden was at Nagano, not Salt Lake.

[flight_from_kamakura]

My vote is for a well trained performance polar bear. Sure it would only be able to stumble on its hind legs with a flame strapped to its paw for about 10 feet, but imagine the sight! They could hand out donation forms for WWF during the ceremonies! Genius! :banana:

hahhaha, i second that motion!

[touraccuracy]

Not that I don't think he should carry the torch at some point - he most certainly should as a local hero and former Olympian - but Linden was at Nagano, not Salt Lake.

yeah you're right, my bad. for some reason i thought he went in '02 also...

[jsbertram]

maybe the cheerios wrap will still happen than

the east side is visible from the canada house city live site so makes sense

And you have an unobstructed view from the Four Host Nations Pavilion on the Queen E plaza.

[flight_from_kamakura]

i can't find it online, but i noticed that the weekend usa today has a big front page feature on the olympics and canada's quest to take top medals count honors. i think the byline was somthing like "hoping most charm, and most medals". man, the american media is really playing this up and it feels like it could become a major storyline if canada looks like it might come close. (and lots of talk about how the canadians horded practice time and restricted other teams' access, etc.)

[Yume-sama]

Well, if America doesn't win, someone else must have cheated, right :P?

[mr.x]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4315701256_e3415cfd08_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clive_c/4315701256/sizes/l/

[Locked In]

Completed RBC mural:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S2YYmwOd0NI/AAAAAAAACcA/AMHWxrBkR7c/s800/IMG_3314.jpg

GM place --> Canada Hockey Place:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/S2Yc33s6LeI/AAAAAAAACcU/18KTKRmFyn0/s800/IMG_3317.jpg

(My photos, January 31)

[moico]

there is one of those olympics signs near the VAG i think its in dutch it say velkommen i think... its by the stairs to the rink...
The Dutch WELCOME sign is on Granville very close to the entrance to the Expo Skytrain entrance, it says Welkom (and that is Dutch). I belie that Vilkommen is Swedish and then along Granville there are numerous other signs in misc. languages, cute idea.

[Yume-sama]

I like the murals!

I also like the multi-language signs, too. It is a nice idea.

Willkommen = German
Välkommen = Swedish

I don't know how to pronounce them, but I assume it sounds like WELCOME IN (or Well, come in :P) :D!

ようこそ！ (Yokoso!) is Japanese of course.

[flight_from_kamakura]

nice catch, x, nice pics, locked in. have to love the usa today front page image there.

[entheosfog]

Olympic spirit dampened as vandals ruin Israeli flags

Vandals have attempted to dampen Olympic spirit by attacking Israeli flag decals displayed along Vancouver’s sidewalks.

Two Israeli flag emblems have disappeared from South Granville after they were sloshed with paint and the words “Free Palestine” were scrawled on them last month.

“There are unfortunately incidents of all kinds aimed at all kinds of different people, different faiths, different minority groups, etc.,” Mark Gurvis, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver told The Province.

“It’s not shocking to us that this happens in the world and it’s not shocking to us that the flag of Israel would be targeted,” said Gurvis.

“It’s very sad that this would happen in the midst of the Olympics, at a time when our region will be welcoming the world, that something like this would be happening.”

The emblems, which were at the entrance of the Starbucks at 7th Avenue and Granville Street and on Granville between 12th and 14th Avenues, were removed by the South Granville Business Improvement Association on Dec. 26.

The decals are part of Flagwalk, a display of some 450 international flags from 80 countries participating in winter sporting events that crawl along through Yaletown to South Granville.

The spots where the flags were have remained empty for the time being as the BIAs had not factored in multiple replacement costs.

...

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Olympic+spirit+dampened+vandals+ruin+Israeli+flags/2496971/story.html

One of USA's flags had a swastika on it last month. Not sure if that made any new articles. I'm sure it's fixed now though...

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/1466/img3173.jpg

[Yume-sama]

That doesn't even make sense. But this is why we can't have nice things! :P

[entheosfog]

Some of them Olympic buses:

This one looks ancient!
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/1557/img37002.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2613/img3701n.jpg
EDIT: actually I don't think this is an Olympic bus, but it may Olympic related...

Excuse the pole. This one had California plates on it:
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/2559/img3730m.jpg

Olympic lane signs appearing all over the place:
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8105/img3704f.jpg

[SpongeG]

Devo to whip it in Whistler (http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Devo+whip+Whistler/2488916/story.html)

[Waders]

i can't find it online, but i noticed that the weekend usa today has a big front page feature on the olympics and canada's quest to take top medals count honors. i think the byline was somthing like "hoping most charm, and most medals". man, the american media is really playing this up and it feels like it could become a major storyline if canada looks like it might come close. (and lots of talk about how the canadians horded practice time and restricted other teams' access, etc.)

The USA Today article titled At these Olympics, Canada wants to win, not just host is at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2010-01-29-canada-host-win_N.htm

[SpongeG]

i went back a few pages - has CTV changed their location? there is no construction in that area...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/untitled1-3.jpg

[raggedy13]

I saw that white California-plated bus outside the liquor store on Alberni Street yesterday.

[nova9]

I saw an Alabama plated one.

[Yume-sama]

They are from all over America. An American company has the contract to provide the buses, supposedly.

[The Chemist]

Saw Vancouver 2010 ads in the subway here in Shanghai. I'll try snap a few pictures next time.

Which station? I'm on the subway every day and I haven't noticed any.

Cool to hear, though. I wonder what the TV coverage will be like here.