More "our weather kicks your weather's ass...

[burkbuilds]

They are calling for 3-6" of snow here in Atlanta today! Not sure if it will actually happen, but I'm getting ready to leave town just in case! Hopefully I won't be riding through a snow storm on my way north on I-75 this morning!

[alanmcorcoran]

Re Olympics - yes most of them have lost money and many lost a boatload. Seems to be a deadly combination of political hubris, taxpayer funding, endemic corruption and other Things Not Conducive To Making Money. The 1984 Games were a rare exception. In addition to living here, I am one degree of separation from the guy that ran it. In my local office (of four) one of our colleagues sister is his personal assistant and she has flown in his personal jet or has otherwsie accompanied him to the games of the last 7 years.

BTW I'm not a big fan of the Olympics. Nothing against the athletes and everything, but all the flag waving [particularly by First World Countries in Third World Country faces] and the chest beating, and the up close and personal stories and, well, figure skating/gymnastics/curling?, all pretty much nauseate me. I like to be entertained as much as the next guy, but I've never understood why athletes are held in such high regard (as opposed to, say, scientists or heart surgeons, or people that actually provide some direct benefit to society.) I know many of them get involved in charities and the like, but I'm pretty cynical about their motives. I think it's great if you can run fast, or hit a ball, or ski well and I might even enjoy watching you compete against others, but most of the sports seem to have evolved to the point where it's a lot pressure and anxiety and few (shaun white maybe?) really seem to be having any fun. The US usually doesn't do that well in the Winter Olympics and I see that as a plus as there will be fewer chances to have to cringe with the jingoism of the TV announcers. (WW, in many years the TV coverage in the US, in addition to being delayed until after the results are already determined [WTF?] is limited to only events or heats where an American is expected to do well. When I hear of some of these athletes that were plucked at an early age (too young to make informed decisions) to be their countries hope and then spent every day of their entire childhood developing a skill that has no purpose other than entertainment and competition, it's more sad than inspiring.

I did enjoy watching that fellow from Jamaica effortlessly leave everyone in the dust in the last Summer Games. I don't know his story, but he looked to be having a great time and appeared that he could have gone even faster had it been necessary.

[alanmcorcoran]

Interesting (and somewhat depressing) story about Olympics dissenters in LA Times today. Here's the link to the online version. Hardcopy was on front page.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 9632.story

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Interesting (and somewhat depressing) story about Olympics dissenters in LA Times today. Here's the link to the online version. Hardcopy was on front page.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 9632.story

Sounds like the officials and politicians don't want some one to upset their applecart. IMO they are already walking a very thin line with street closures and other "needed" priorities to make the games run smoother. In Squamish we have police directing traffic to let convoys of buses through. The only other North/South road is screwed up with a gigantic tent city and parking lot for Olympic vehicles. The tents appear to be temporary wash and maintenance facilities. There are even cops directing traffic in and out there too. No I don't want to suck it up, I can't even safely drive to Wally World for milk.

Made a trip to Starbucks earlier today, even the skies are scary. There are numbers of helicopters flying back and forth filled with officials and the rich an famous. Very low cloud cover makes them almost invisible to each other. What really got my attention was a 4 engine aircraft on the same flightpath but just a bit higher in elevation. Very unusual to see so large a craft in this neighborhood. Can't wait for tomorrow.

[alanmcorcoran]

Well now you got the dead guy. Sad, but, it reminds me of a Bill Maher observation on the death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

"So let me get this straight... You got a guy wearing little more than his birthday suit and a helmet, laying down with his ass on essentially a cafeteria tray with a pair of skate blades attached, his legs and head hanging out halfway to France and then he launches himself, feet first, down a ONE MILE ice track with a 20% grade and 500 foot vertical drop where his totally unprotected body will quickly whip through various curves, drops and what have you, reaching speeds of close to 100 miles an hour with no ability to see where he is, where he's going, or if there happens to be, say, some unpadded solid steel support beams inches from the non-guardrailed edge of the track? How could anything POSSIBLY go wrong!?"

I apologize to all of you luge fans in advance as I know about as much about luge as I do about NASCAR, but, for us Winter Games ignoramuses it pretty much looks like the object of this game is simply to arrive at the bottom alive and the guy who has shit his pants the least wins.

[Water Warrior 2]

Yes, his death is very sad. From what I read a little while ago he was clocked at 88 mph before loosing control and leaving the track. I doubt he felt a thing which is a small mercy. His family and many friends travelled from Russia to see him compete.

[alanmcorcoran]

Back to the weather... Don't mean to rub it in (ah who am I kidding! Of course I mean to rub it in!) but today was pretty spectacular. I dug up my old Sony F717 and did a re-shoot of sorts...

[Water Warrior 2]

Alan, do type in your exact address.

Some place dry doesn't count.
Some place sunny doesn't count.
Some place with no bus convoy doesn't count.
Some place warmer doesn't count.
Some place I won't like doesn't count.

[alanmcorcoran]

Just point your bike to the Second Star to the Right and straight on 'til morning!

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Just point your bike to the Second Star to the Right and straight on 'til morning!

No Fair. You know the road is all twisty.