I've found my Winter Olympics event!
Ryan Cousineau
My lovely wife won tickets to the Women's Snowboard Cross event.
That is the second-most crashy sport in the Winter Games, and there are
female athletes (down, Bruce!)
So, you know, woo hoo.
PS: of course, my heart is really set on getting to the visually
impaired biathlon Paralympic event.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."
GoneBeforeMyTime
> Or rather, it found me.
>
> My lovely wife won tickets to the Women's Snowboard Cross event.
>
> That is the second-most crashy sport in the Winter Games, and there
> are female athletes (down, Bruce!)
>
> So, you know, woo hoo.
>
> PS: of course, my heart is really set on getting to the visually
> impaired biathlon Paralympic event.
Take your camera!
raamman
> Or rather, it found me.
>
> My lovely wife won tickets to the Women's Snowboard Cross event.
>
> That is the second-most crashy sport in the Winter Games, and there are
> female athletes (down, Bruce!)
>
> So, you know, woo hoo.
>
> PS: of course, my heart is really set on getting to the visually
> impaired biathlon Paralympic event.
>
> --
> "In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
> "In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."
yeah, go and celebrate coke and hbc and rogers and all the other f'ing
companies that ponied up big bucks to advertise at the games. sheesh !
what a farce !
Scott
Yeah, 'cause the games will just finance themselves!
raamman
>
> - Show quoted text -
I don't mean to dig at a tragedy, but I saw they sank $104 M cdn in
the luge track where that young fellow was killed....I'm sure that
money could've gone to helping a lot more people than a few exclusive
sportsmen.
Fred
Yeah, and some Haitians got killed by other Haitians just 'cause they
got a bag of rice and the others didn't. Maybe they should've sent
that aid somewhere else.
Fred
bjwe...@gmail.com
Where do you think that money came from?
A lot of it comes from the selling of TV rights, ads
and other licensing, the ads you were complaining
about. Yeah, some of it is government money that
could better be spent elsewhere, but much of it
is good old commercialism.
I think it would be better to spend C$104 M on food aid
or schools or whatever, but Coke and NBC aren't kicking
in the ad dollars to put their logos on aid to Haiti, so it
is a false suggestion that there is a equal choice between
the two.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Olympics are a corrupt
extravaganza that primarily benefits fat cats at governing
bodies, but in a newsgroup where we talk about pro
sports, cycling in particular, it seems hypocritical or just
blind to bash something just for being sponsored by
advertising.
Ben
raamman
wrote:
I appreciate your point, it is valid; but the winter olympics weren't
built on ad dollars, they are built on tax dollars, and the government
of the day piggybacks on that with their own advertising; our sport
can't even dream to recieve nearly that much in government support,
not just for an olympic game, but just as promoting cycling as viable
alternative means of commuting. But no need to spar back and forth,
lets just agree it is a big waste that we would prefer to see put to
better use helping people in need.
Fred
What's this "we" shit?
Mike Jacoubowsky
I appreciate your point, it is valid; but the winter olympics weren't
built on ad dollars, they are built on tax dollars, and the government
of the day piggybacks on that with their own advertising; our sport
can't even dream to recieve nearly that much in government support,
not just for an olympic game, but just as promoting cycling as viable
alternative means of commuting. But no need to spar back and forth,
lets just agree it is a big waste that we would prefer to see put to
better use helping people in need.
"Our" sport? which sport is that? Cycing in general or Cycling at the
Professional level?
The grand spectacle of the TdF, Paris Roubaix, even the bigger 'Cross races
wouldn't exist without the most-crass forms of sponsorships having been
involved. Think of it as resource allocation, and $$$ are the single
most-important means of allocating those resourcees.
But let's look at your other example... commuting. Until the (bike) industry
got involved, essentially "sponsoring" substantial lobbying efforts (of
which I am a part), we were getting nowhere. Low-cost critical mass events
had no effect on getting state & federal $$$ for safer roads to ride on or
vehicle code changes. It took a concerted effort by one of the biggest bike
manufacturers to get the industry together and contribute $$$ to all maner
of lobbying and promotional events, as well as being to contribute to
election campaigns.
Without those $$$ the best efforts of volunteer advocates and underfunded
local organizations weren't able to make much of a dent. But thank goodness
they exist, because they know the issues and work their tails off in a way
that's incredibly humbling to most of us in the bike biz. We go into the
offices of our Congressional Representatives on the 'Hill and feel like
we're window dressing next to their expertise, but they understand and
appreciate how much better their message is heard when there's money behind
it.
Money *is* the root of all kinds of evil. But that's different from money
being evil per se. It's just a way to allocate resources, which makes it
either an example of the very best or very worst capitalism has to offer.
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"raamman" <raa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:d1b7f7f4-37ed-4abd...@n3g2000vbl.googlegroups.com...
raamman
wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
followed by a very few.
Kurgan Gringioni
>
> cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
> participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
> hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
> followed by a very few.
It's only paid for by taxpayer dollars if the event loses money. The
economic model for all modern Olympics, the 1984 LA Olympics, made a profit.
BTW, if the current Games loses money, it won't be your taxpayer dollars.
It'll be Canada's taxpayers footing the bill.
Mike Jacoubowsky
cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
followed by a very few.
I'm sure there are residents of San Jose, Encino, Kenosha, Trexlertown and
others that don't think it makes sense for their cities to spend $$$
supporting a facility that, by most standards, is under-utilized for its
expense. But we see the bigger picture, not a track that gets used a few
hours a day by a relative handful of people, but rather a key element of
support for an important sport & recreational activity. Fans of winter
sports probably feel the same way about the Luge.
Me? I'm waiting for the only *real* winter sport of the Olympics. Curling. A
sport where no expense is spared on facilities, I'm sure!
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"raamman" <raa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:370ffb94-75a1-479e...@g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
Kurgan Gringioni
"raamman" <raa...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:370ffb94-75a1-479e-b8bc-
> cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
> participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
> hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
> followed by a very few.
Dumbass -
Are you American?
If you are, none of your tax dollars have gone to luge in the past, not
unless you lived in a city that hosted a Winter Olympics and lost money on
the event. If you haven't, then maybe you should stop whining.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/13/AR2010011304258.html
U.S. Olympic Committee weighs the highly charged option of government
funding for its cash-strapped programs
By Amy Shipley
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The U.S. Olympic Committee for years trumpeted its financial independence
from the U.S. government. It still calls upon the old advertising slogan,
"America doesn't send athletes to the Olympics, Americans do" in soliciting
private donations. The organization likes to project the image of a
bootstrapping U.S. team carried to the Olympic Games on a magic carpet of
personal checks and hard-earned American dollars.
But the current recession and new leadership have brought a willingness to
consider another vision: a government-supported USOC.
<snip><end>
Kyle Legate
> Or rather, it found me.
>
> My lovely wife won tickets to the Women's Snowboard Cross event.
>
> That is the second-most crashy sport in the Winter Games, and there are
> female athletes (down, Bruce!)
>
Ryan Cousineau
"Kurgan Gringioni" <kgrin...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> "raamman" <raa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:370ffb94-75a1-479e...@g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
> > participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
> > hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
> > followed by a very few.
> It's only paid for by taxpayer dollars if the event loses money. The
> economic model for all modern Olympics, the 1984 LA Olympics, made a profit.
I'm not sure, but I believe the 84 Olympics were unique in turning a
profit. They had the benefit of some extraordinary circumstances, but
it' still a noteworthy achievement.
> BTW, if the current Games loses money, it won't be your taxpayer dollars.
> It'll be Canada's taxpayers footing the bill.
I am not comforted by this.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
Ryan Cousineau
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <Mi...@ChainReaction.com> wrote:
> =========
> cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
> participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
> hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
> followed by a very few.
> =========
>
> I'm sure there are residents of San Jose, Encino, Kenosha, Trexlertown and
> others that don't think it makes sense for their cities to spend $$$
> supporting a facility that, by most standards, is under-utilized for its
> expense. But we see the bigger picture, not a track that gets used a few
> hours a day by a relative handful of people, but rather a key element of
> support for an important sport & recreational activity. Fans of winter
> sports probably feel the same way about the Luge.
>
> Me? I'm waiting for the only *real* winter sport of the Olympics. Curling. A
> sport where no expense is spared on facilities, I'm sure!
Don't make jokes about curling, eh? The curling venue cost $40M, but
will be converted to a combo of a hockey rink, swimming pool, and
curling rink when they're done. The demand for pools is evergreen, and
hockey ice-time is in notoriously short supply in Vancouver.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Olympic/Paralympic_Centre
The urban legend going around right now is that there are about 110,000
curlers in the world; 100,000 of them are Canadian. Major curling
matches are televised live across the country. I briefly did some
curling in high school, and my parents curled at one time (family legend
tells of the time my mom fell on the ice while pregnant with one of my
brothers. Good times!)
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
Donald Munro
>> BTW, if the current Games loses money, it won't be your taxpayer dollars.
>> It'll be Canada's taxpayers footing the bill.
Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> I am not comforted by this.
They should have held it in Washington (DC that is) since they actually
have snow there and SOTS wouldn't mind allocating a grant for the Olympics.
raamman
> "raamman" <raam...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:370ffb94-75a1-479e-b8bc-
> > cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
> > participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
> > hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
> > followed by a very few.
>
> Dumbass -
>
> Are you American?
>
> If you are, none of your tax dollars have gone to luge in the past, not
> unless you lived in a city that hosted a Winter Olympics and lost money on
> the event. If you haven't, then maybe you should stop whining.
>
>
> U.S. Olympic Committee weighs the highly charged option of government
> funding for its cash-strapped programs
>
> By Amy Shipley
> Washington Post Staff Writer
> Thursday, January 14, 2010
>
> The U.S. Olympic Committee for years trumpeted its financial independence
> from the U.S. government. It still calls upon the old advertising slogan,
> "America doesn't send athletes to the Olympics, Americans do" in soliciting
> private donations. The organization likes to project the image of a
> bootstrapping U.S. team carried to the Olympic Games on a magic carpet of
> personal checks and hard-earned American dollars.
>
> But the current recession and new leadership have brought a willingness to
> consider another vision: a government-supported USOC.
>
> <snip><end>
I happen to be Canadian, living and posting in Canada; but, taxpayers
money is taxpayers money, usurped by the government from the populace
for one cause or another; our economies are interdependent, and the
consequences of policy can be felt across borders. The disaster in
Haiti has very little political or economic consequence in either
Canada or the States- however both our nations felt compelled to
mobilize and render aid there; but in either of our nations we have
serious unemployment, rampant drug-use, overpriced post 2ndry
education, and in the States you have inaccessable heathcare etc. $104
M could've been better spent
raamman
> In article <_LadnTaNW6t4yevWnZ2dnUVZ_jKdn...@earthlink.com>,
> "In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
>
> - Show quoted text -
the curling facility represents a venue that will be used and enjoyed
by many, an investment or a return to the people of their tax dollars.
William Asher
news:rcousine-735EF0.00312313022010@[74.223.185.199.nw.nuvox.net]:
>
> The urban legend going around right now is that there are about
> 110,000 curlers in the world; 100,000 of them are Canadian. Major
> curling matches are televised live across the country. I briefly did
> some curling in high school, and my parents curled at one time (family
> legend tells of the time my mom fell on the ice while pregnant with
> one of my brothers. Good times!)
>
I thought you said your mom got pregnant with one of your brothers after
falling on the ice during a curling match? Maybe it was the post-match
celebration? Anyway, it's a good thing your parents weren't also into
competition sledding or there would be more skeletons in your closet.
--
Bill Asher
Kurgan Gringioni
> I happen to be Canadian, living and posting in Canada; but, taxpayers
> money is taxpayers money, usurped by the government from the populace
Dumbass -
Go bitch about it to your government then. We at rbr have nothing to do with
it. The majority of the people here are Americans and the United States
Olympic Committee is supported by corporations' marketing budgets.
thanks,
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
cur...@the-md-russells.org
wrote:
>cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
>participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
>hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
>followed by a very few.
The dollars didn't get put into a hole in the ground and left there.
Until we know the volatility of the money spent, especially in the
near term, we can't evaluate its impact. If the course was built by a
fair number of previously unemployed workers, that portion for
instance would ony be supplanting what they might have gotten from
other programs and the increase would be going largely to primary
businesses when they spent their salaries for basics and back bills.
OTOH, if it was three guys with a plow and connections, maybe not so
much...
Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...
Donald Munro
>> legend tells of the time my mom fell on the ice while pregnant with
>> one of my brothers. Good times!)
William Asher wrote:
> I thought you said your mom got pregnant with one of your brothers after
> falling on the ice during a curling match?
So curlers do score.
Amit Ghosh
wrote:
> Dumbass -
>
> Go bitch about it to your government then. We at rbr have nothing to do with
> it. The majority of the people here are Americans and the United States
> Olympic Committee is supported by corporations' marketing budgets.
>
dumbass,
corporations are paying a lot to support these olympics, but so is the
public.
there is a lot of public money going into private pockets, but 1/6th
of canada's economy is "non-proft". our economy is dependent on the
government spending money. if the government cut back on "wasteful"
spending it would probably hurt the economy.
Michael Press
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <Mi...@ChainReaction.com> wrote:
I prefer to keep organizations out of bicycling.
> Money *is* the root of all kinds of evil.
Timothy I 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while
some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
--
Michael Press
raamman
wrote:
> "raamman" <raam...@gmail.com> wrote in message
if you are refering to just yourself, you might say the majority at
rbr are simple assholes
Ryan Cousineau
Donald Munro <no...@mailinator.com> wrote:
You're getting ahead of yourself. I have granted you evidence that
people who have scored* may go on to curl.
*It's a good thing I'm psychologically stable.
Fred Fredburger
> In article <hl5jbm$frh$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> "Kurgan Gringioni" <kgrin...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "raamman" <raa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:370ffb94-75a1-479e...@g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
>>> cycling in general or professional, either has many times more
>>> participants and spectators than luge...I am just saying $104 M is a
>>> hell of a lot of taxpayers money for an exclusive sport practised and
>>> followed by a very few.
>
>> It's only paid for by taxpayer dollars if the event loses money. The
>> economic model for all modern Olympics, the 1984 LA Olympics, made a profit.
>
> I'm not sure, but I believe the 84 Olympics were unique in turning a
> profit. They had the benefit of some extraordinary circumstances, but
> it' still a noteworthy achievement.
>
Frequently (Seoul, Beijing, as examples) the Olympics is about proving
to the world that the host company has "arrived". It's like a coming out
party, a debutante ball; they're not trying to make a profit, they're
just showing off.
Given what I know about people from Vancouver, this should be the
show-offiest.
Donald Munro
> if you are refering to just yourself, you might say the majority at
> rbr are simple assholes
Whereas the topology of complex assholes defines a space with a
non-linear homeomorphism.
OTOH
<http://andrewlias.blogspot.com/2004/04/how-to-tell-your-ass-from-hole-in.html>
Henry
> Or rather, it found me.
>
> My lovely wife won tickets to the Women's Snowboard Cross event.
>
> That is the second-most crashy sport in the Winter Games, and there are
> female athletes (down, Bruce!)
>
>
> PS: of course, my heart is really set on getting to the visually
> impaired biathlon Paralympic event.
>
> --
> "In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
> "In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."
biathlon - has to be.
Hot, sweaty chicks with guns. Works on SO many levels :)
Henry
> In article <_LadnTaNW6t4yevWnZ2dnUVZ_jKdn...@earthlink.com>,
> "In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
> "In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."
we even have it here
http://www.curling.co.nz/
Henry
> "raamman" <raam...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:c1aac0cc-76ae-4a8c...@k11g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I happen to be Canadian, living and posting in Canada; but, taxpayers
> > money is taxpayers money, usurped by the government from the populace
>
> Dumbass -
>
> Go bitch about it to your government then. We at rbr have nothing to do with
> it. The majority of the people here are Americans
I had no idea!
Septic's on my favourite NG ?
[]
Henry
> In article <NbadnWodoOy80OvWnZ2dnUVZ_sidn...@earthlink.com>,
The point being the 3rd word
I wonder how well translated it is from the "original"
Ryan Cousineau
<1ad01f09-b68e-4f3b...@x1g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
Henry <snogfest_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/passage.aspx?q=I+Timothy
+6%3A10&t=kjv
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/philarguria.html
Translated as "avarice" or "love of money." My Greek is crap, but
philarguria is surely "phil-[os]" and what looks like a synonym for
"silver".
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
Ryan Cousineau
Fred Fredburger <Som...@Somewhere.You.Dont.Wanna.Be> wrote:
I'm not especially typical.
Michael Press
<1ad01f09-b68e-4f3b...@x1g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
Henry <snogfest_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> The point being the 3rd word
>
> I wonder how well translated it is from the "original"
Until somebody shows me an accepted translation
that uses "money is the ..." I will continue to
take it as a misquotation.
Did you know "gilding the lily" is a misquotation?
--
Michael Press