I’m surprised no one has started a thread on the Olympics. Interesting…
Although, it sound’s like they are going to be rather forgettable.
Channeling the spirit of DM I share these photos, for those of you still upset that you missed your chance to go
A photo journal Sochi 2014 journalists find hotels awash with stray dogs and toxic brown water | Daily Mail Online
Could this be the beginning of the end for the Olympics?
Olympic bobsledder trapped in bathroom]
Breaks door to escape.
I’m not watching the olympics because I quickly tired of watching 30 seconds of action then five minutes of blabbering heads. I don’t give a damn what Bob Costas has to say, I want to watch some sports.
Over the years I taped some shows if I wasn’t going to be home when they were on, but I often never got around to watching them. When every damned station had some Sochi related story on, I dug out one of the ancient tapes. Wow, I never realized how much I’ve missed “The West Wing”. 
Occam
Could this be the beginning of the end for the Olympics?Why? Because Americans don't care for it? Many people are talking about it in Canada and the same goes for Czech R. They both obviously think they are getting the gold medal in hockey. Come on, Romans, you know there is life happening outside your province, right? ;-)
Could this be the beginning of the end for the Olympics?Why? Because Americans don't care for it? Who cares about that part, even if it's true, which I'm wouldn't know about. The Olympic Committee is a cesspool of corruption and benefits never seem to trickle down to the citizens. It's a monstrous waste of money and resources and a relic of a time that has passed and gone for ever ! Even if many haven't it recognized yet. To fund the Olympic or to fund disaster recovery efforts - I'm sure some will argue for the tradition of the Olympics… … and, then there's always the bottom line to consider - doesn't look as though Russians going seeing much gain on their investment.
Bromund: Olympics’ edifice complex is ultimately a loser http://www.newsday.com/opinion/bromund-olympics-edifice-complex-is-ultimately-a-loser-1.6932321 The Olympic Winter Games start Friday in Sochi, Russia. They were supposed to cost $12 billion, but the latest estimate is higher: more than $50 billion. Small wonder that, increasingly, the nations that want to host international sporting events are corrupt, publicity-seeking dictatorships or deluded Keynesians. We’ve been here before. The 1976 Summer Games in Montreal were a financial disaster. It looked like only totalitarians — such as the USSR, which hosted the 1980 Games — could pay the bills. In 1984, Los Angeles saved its Summer Games by bringing in corporate sponsors. But costs continue to rise, partly because the Olympics have an edifice complex. Instead of just holding races, organizers must now promise to create a lasting legacy of ports and train lines. For 2016, Brazil is supposedly spending $2.3 billion on direct costs, but $10.75 billion on the legacy projects.
Here's a hell of a read: Financing, Ethics, and the Brazilian Olympics http://sevenpillarsinstitute.org/case-studies/financing-ethics-and-the-brazilian-olympics . . . Many of the facilities built for the Greek Games, are currently sitting unutilized, yet use public funds for maintenance and operation.[13] The 2000 Games in Sydney have a similar story, underutilized stadiums and facilities are still costing $40 Million USD a year, as of 2009.[14] The use, or lack thereof, of facilities for post-mega-events is troubling. Brazil hosted the 2007 Pan American Games, which actually helped Brazil secure the Olympic Bid. However, facilities built for the Pan Am Games took large amounts of funds from Federal Workers Fund among other public programs, and are sitting empty. ...I think the future holds some big surprises for you.
You just can’t live without this alarmist BS, can you, CC? Yes, the Montreal games were a financial disaster and yes the games are still around thirty years later. Calm down and stick to your baseball “World” Cup instead.
You just can't live without this alarmist BS, can you, CC? Yes, the Montreal games were a financial disaster and yes the games are still around thirty years later. Calm down and stick to your baseball "World" Cup instead.Yea George I'm the one that is deluded and all is beautiful and smilie faces in the world and the billions we squander and the mini man-made catastrophes don't make any difference and the road goes on for ever and the party never ends… right :kiss: You know, I wrote something yesterday that fits this occasion perfectly
I’m asking you to step back a little to consider your assumptions, perhaps reconsider your approach. I want to suggest everything you {along with the usual AGW “skeptical" suspects} say springs forth from a weltanschauuing of supreme confidence in human ingenuity. Including a faith that society’s only hope is in the free-corporate-market status quo being allowed to run it’s course. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking beyond the individual you, I suggest it boils down to two different perceptions of our planet and Earth sciences. At the heart of one is an appreciation that our Earth is a living organism, one that has taken four and a half billion years, evolving one day at a time, to arrive at the beautiful cornucopia that awaited a restless inquisitive human species. The other mindset sees our planet through the lens of ancient texts and tribal dogmas. To this group of humanity our life sustaining planet, Earth, isn’t anymore “real" than the Hollywood movie on the other side of the screen. It’s only function is to fuel our economy. Therein lies the tragedy of our time. (for the whole thing visit: http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2014/02/letter-contrarian-john-nielsen-gammon.html )
Yea George I'm the one that is deluded and all is beautiful and smilie faces in the world and the billions we squander and the mini man-made catastrophes don't make any difference and the road goes on for ever and the party never ends… right :kiss:The party will end one day, but right now there is simply no indication of it happening anytime soon. I know you wish it happened during your lifetime (just like the Christian nuts wish it) so that you can trumpet to the world you were right all along (again, just like the Christian nuts). Take a chill pill, buddy.
$50 billion spent on what are already being called the “Putin” games, a man that represents the worst in us, not the best.
The fact that so much gets dedicated to so little of real meaning is a sign of how out of wack we are as a species. Celebrating hubris when we truly need to be addressing significant social and ecological issues is insane.
Yea George I'm the one that is deluded and all is beautiful and smilie faces in the world and the billions we squander and the mini man-made catastrophes don't make any difference and the road goes on for ever and the party never ends… right :kiss:The party will end one day, but right now there is simply no indication of it happening anytime soon. Of course not, just keep telling yourself that.
I know you wish it happened during your lifetimeThat's the A hole in you speaking. The fact that I'm terrified of it, and wish we could do something about it happening, never occurs to people like you. Of course your reaction… rather than trying to figure out what I'm talking about - figuratively you have this need to scream at me loud enough to drown out anything you might learn from. There are two kinds of people in the world!
At the heart of one is an appreciation that our Earth is a living organism, one that has taken four and a half billion years, evolving one day at a time, to arrive at the beautiful cornucopia that awaited a restless inquisitive human species. The other mindset sees our planet through the lens of ancient texts and tribal dogmas. To this group of humanity our life sustaining planet, Earth, isn't any more "real" than the Hollywood movie on the other side of the screen. It's only function is to fuel our economy.
May I give you an advice? Don’t do anything about it. It is thanks to individuals like you who like to blow everything out of proportion that people are tired of hearing about GW and other important topics.
Your insults don’t impress me. Would be more interesting if you actually had something of substance to share.
I suggest what you say springs forth from a weltanschauuing] of supreme confidence in human ingenuity. Including a faith that society’s only hope is in the free-corporate-market status quo being allowed to run it’s course.
I believe today’s huge split in how people view the reality of what we are doing to our one and only planet Earth has roots in the following.
At the heart of one is an appreciation that our Earth is a living organism, one that has taken four and a half billion years, evolving one day at a time, to arrive at the beautiful cornucopia that awaited a restless inquisitive human species.
The other mindset sees our planet through the lens of ancient texts and tribal dogmas. To this group of humanity our life sustaining planet, Earth, isn’t any more “real” than the Hollywood movie on the other side of the screen. It’s only function is to fuel our economy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here some easy viewing videos that describe what is happening on this Earth.
I imagine you might find some way to ridicule them out of your consideration - but I bet the one thing you won’t do is come up with any substantive information showing that these descriptions are misleading.
From David Attenborough:
state of the planet ep1 part 1
- YouTube&list=PLAAAC1A517AE3C93A
From National Geographic:
Earth Report - State of the Planet Ch.1
Earth Report - State of the Planet Ch.1 - YouTube
You chose a YouTube video with grandiose music as your weapon? Ok, I’ll go with THIS], The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley. A war of links is so much easier than having to think, no? 
Yeah, it sure is easier than thinking, especially when you (George) choose to ignore reality and blame the people telling the truth for other people’s aversion to the truth. There are several energy company funded think tanks spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt about climate change, yet you blame CC for making people tired of hearing about it. #@&% $*@. Get your head out of the sand and pay attention. We’re destroying our ecosystem. I don’t care if you and millions of other people are tired of hearing about it. CC and I are going to keep reminding you until people start making changes.
I don’t mind people wanting to talk about important topic such as GW. Of course, I believe it’s a good and necessary thing. What I don’t appreciate, though, is CC making a mountain out of a molehill on every subject he touches.
That’s where we disagree. I don’t think CC has blown anything out of proportion. Just wait until you see the upcoming World Cup fiasco in Brazil.
George, our society is headed toward self-destruction. The only thing most of use can about it is warn the people who are ignoring the problem and reelecting idiots such as James Inhofe (R-OK) and most of the Republicans I can name. we’re careering merrily along on an out-of-control train ride. CC isn’t blowing things out of proportion, he is telling the truth. Don’t try to give people excuses for ignoring the truth.
George, our society is headed toward self-destruction.Maybe. But then, maybe not. We have gone through much worse, which is practically all of our past. I see nothing at this moment that is screaming DEFCON 1. There are clearly a few candidates and GW may very well in one of them, but at this point all I am hearing sounds more like the acid rain scare that was going to destroy all the forests back in the 80s. The funny thing is that nobody wants to talk about the real danger our species is actually facing: fertility decline. We may not need to worry about the climate since there won't be anyone left to be affected by it. First things first.
We have gone through much worse, which is practically all of our past.Yea, like when? Show your cards. And what about the backdrop of the condition of our planet, particularly when looked at within the context of the historic story. Do you even know what I mean when I ask that?
I see nothing at this moment that is screaming DEFCON 1.An ostrich with head in sand don't see any problems either. Sorry george you walked into that one ;-P ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ guess you didn't bother with those videos or the information they offer to those who do pay attention to it. :smirk:
George, our society is headed toward self-destruction.Maybe. But then, maybe not. We have gone through much worse, which is practically all of our past. I see nothing at this moment that is screaming DEFCON 1. There are clearly a few candidates and GW may very well in one of them, but at this point all I am hearing sounds more like the acid rain scare that was going to destroy all the forests back in the 80s. The funny thing is that nobody wants to talk about the real danger our species is actually facing: fertility decline. We may not need to worry about the climate since there won't be anyone left to be affected by it. First things first. The reason Acid Rain did not kill all our forests was because the EPA stepped in to combat the causes. Ozone depletion is another instance of humans identifying an imminent problem and working together for a solution. Just because society came together and solved a problem does not mean the problem did not exist. And yes, fertility decline is a real problem, but is a red herring in a discussion about global warming. Separate problem requiring a separate solution, and also an indicator of the multiple problems our species faces in the 21st Century.