717 replies to this topic

[Savannah]

It looks like it will go by right outside our office on Friday, then will be in my neighbourhood on Saturday. It's like it wants me to be enthused, despite myself!

And yep, I will be getting up from my desk to have a peek, if there isn't a mob blocking the way.

[Mike K.]

Olympic Torch Relay expected to disrupt transit operations
VibrantVictoria.ca
http://vibrantvictoria.ca/?p=1251

BC Transit is advising residents of the entire metropolitan area of Victoria to expect transit delays and disruptions on October 30 and 31st as the Olympic Torch Relay passes through the Capital region. [...]

[victorian fan]

What will be closed tomorrow -- police to post alerts on twitter
Times ColonistOctober 29, 2009

http://www.timescolo...7569/story.html

Drivers can view the updates at twitter.com/victorch2010 or at the Victoria police website at vicpd.ca.

[victorian fan]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper identifies a key flaw with the Olympic red mittens

Vancouver SunOctober 29, 2009 4:09 PM
http://www.vancouver...0283/story.html

"I like the thumbs up," Campbell said, with Harper at his side holding an Olympic torch.

"You can't put anything up but the thumb," replied Harper with a chuckle.

"I can't give you the finger in those things," he said.

After an awkward pause, a surprised Campbell looked back and responded: "I've never experienced that."

[VicHockeyFan]

OK, here we go.... CF-18 fly-past at 8:15 and 10:40 this morning. I love those things.



We've got about 100 of these suckers, with at least 80 available for full operation at all times.

[VicHockeyFan]

Anyone got the red mitts? I might buy some, along with some Canadian flags before I head down this morning...

[VicHockeyFan]

Boston Globe torch article:

http://www.boston.co...a_launches.html

[Bob Fugger]

Sadly, it was very anti-climactic. The second torchbearer was walking, although I think through not fault of her own, because the motorcade was inching along. We almost witnessed a couple of rear-enders, which would have been funny, as it was right in front of the ICBC offices!

[VicHockeyFan]

One snag, they had lots of trouble getting the cauldron on stage to light, but they got it before the flames burned up to their fingers (Gordon Campbell and Jack Poole's wife).

Not one but two RCMP helicopters, very annoying. So annoying that when the F-18s came by I radioed them to take the choppers out, but they didn't respond, I might not have been using the right radio frequency. I reverted to hand signals, but I might be rusty on my signal protocol, or it has changed since I served in Korea.

I few snipers on the roof of the Wax Museum. OK, they probably weren't snipers, but they did have black outfits and binoculars.

First torch-bearers were Lemay-Doan, Whitfield, Laumann and that French-Canadian diver. Fortin was on stage but didn't speak. He was pretty prominent on the big-screen as they tried to light the cauldron.

[Kikadee]

The highlight was the fly-over by fighter jets. RUMBLE! Very thrilling.

But what a disappointment to see the whole cavalcade being guided through the streets by a Coca-Cola van, and its poor cousin, the sad RBC van, both blasting music (leaving me with an earworm of Boston's "More than A Feeling" dammit) It was naive of me to think there might be a little less commercialism in the forefront.

And then when the torch came strolling past, I was excited for the fellow carrying it, he was obviously elated, but I had no idea who he was. I only left the office in hopes that it might be Steve Nash, and it wasn't, so meh.

Unless Canada ends up in the gold medal hockey finals, I think that's the extent of my interest in the Olympics this year.

[spanky123]

OK, here we go.... CF-18 fly-past at 8:15 and 10:40 this morning. I love those things.



We've got about 100 of these suckers, with at least 80 available for full operation at all times.

You didn't read far enough down!

Of the 80 "operational aircraft", only 48 are actually in operational use. The other 32 are used for training and parts. Of those 48, only 34 are "mission-ready" on a day to day basis.

To top it off, I highly doubt that we even have 34 fully trained pilots available in the right places at any given time to fly the 34 mission ready aircraft.

[VicHockeyFan]

The Bombardier guy was on CFAX this morning, he says each runner can buy the torch if they want, it's $350. It's optional though. That's cool.

RBC and Coke, I don't know why their guys bothered to speak, it added nothing, for them or for the audience.

Gregor Robertson was pretty good, the guy looks like he is 35, not a bad looking guy.

As much as John Furlong is very likeable, he's not exactly Mr. Enthusiasm when he speaks.

Campbell was over-the-top as he usually is lately, he looked a bit goofy making hand gestures in his mitts, but then again he may have just been countering my hand signals to the F-18s. Maybe he had aloe vera in his mitts to sooth the near-burn he got lighting the cauldron.

The video screen was very clear even when the skies were a little lighter earlier on, I don't know why we can't get one of those for the arena, I really don't. However they beamed the video signal from the mobile camera that started filming in the harbour, up to that screen, it was crystal clear.

[VicHockeyFan]

You didn't read far enough down!

Of the 80 "operational aircraft", only 48 are actually in operational use. The other 32 are used for training and parts. Of those 48, only 34 are "mission-ready" on a day to day basis.

To top it off, I highly doubt that we even have 34 fully trained pilots available in the right places at any given time to fly the 34 mission ready aircraft.

I was afraid to read further down, I read what "I wanted to hear". No wonder they didn't want to waste their armaments today.

[Bingo]

...and now I can't get it lit!

It would have been cheaper to just use one torch that was passed on to the next runner, with a few spares torches in case one malfunctions. Isn't that how a true relay works?

Then they could have manufactured just the shell without the flame mechanism, to give to each participant. That is what they will end up with anyways, as the guts are being striped out of them after their brief appearance.

[VicHockeyFan]

...and now I can't get it lit!

It would have been cheaper to just use one torch that was passed on to the next runner, with a few spares torches in case one malfunctions. Isn't that how a true relay works?

Then they could have manufactured just the shell without the flame mechanism, to give to each participant. That is what they will end up with anyways, as the guts are being striped out of them after their brief appearance.

[Rob Randall]

RBC and Coke, I don't know why their guys bothered to speak, it added nothing, for them or for the audience.

I'm sure that's a promotional perk that comes with the sponsorship. You're right though, it's hard to come up with anything else but "we're proud to be here etc."

"You can't put anything up but the thumb," replied Harper with a chuckle.

"I can't give you the finger in those things," he said.

After an awkward pause, a surprised Campbell looked back and responded: "I've never experienced that."

This exchange reads much better if you replace the word "finger" with "shocker".

[Mike K.]

I inadvertently found myself watching the torch travel through Vic West. Cool experience, I suppose, but the runner (wasn't sure who he was) walked for half of the distance that I saw him.

Coca-Cola sure knows how to market their product! Their custom designed trucks had blazing music, smiling young people dancing about and handing out flags to everyone when the trucks stopped (peeps literally piled off the trucks and surrounded everyone on the street). It was amazing to watch this modern advertising blitzkrieg that roused the senses so much that by the time the torch passed a lot of children were completely disinterested and some adults grumbled that the torch wasn't "exciting compared to the Coca-Cola trucks."

The whole experience left me wondering whether this was a Coca-Cola advertising campaign or an Olympic torch relay.

[VicHockeyFan]

I couldn't get a good read on how many people were at the thing this morning. Not a lot of young people, that's for sure. But I guess it's a school day. I'm really not sure how big the crowd will be tonight... We need some more celebrity power tonight, who's around town? Wayne Gretzky, Shania Twain? Nelly F.? Bin Laden?

[sebberry]

I'm still undecided on going down town tonight. I'll watch it go past my place at Fort Street tho.

If it wasn't raining I would brave the crowds tho.

[amor de cosmos]

what was that song they played at the beginning? it sounded like dave matthews