Cops and Flames

  One of the things you notice walking around the crowded streets is all the smiling cops from all around the country. While the more stressed looking Vancouver police do most of the heavy lifting, the visiting police mingle with the crowds and generally supply a presence.

The ones I talked to seemed to be enjoying the crowds and were finding little opportunity to apply their enforcement skills.   

Since the sidewalks were packed with ubiquitous red and white clad revelers it is impossible for cars to get in or out of the hotel underground parkades without the help of police. 

The grinning police working the parking lot at the Pan Pacific Hotel were a hit with the pedestrians for yelling out "car" when they needed the pedestrians to stop. Then, they yelled "game on" after the vehicle  passed.

A couple at the top of the flame viewing deck were helping tourists by taking their pictures in front of the flame.

I wouldn't want to be a cop. I don't think they should investigate themselves. I've seen good ones. I've seen stupid ones. Some are corrupt. Some are heros. There are times when I've been very happy to see them.  (Even if they are the muscle for the greedy, violent, fascist capitalist state)

 Speaking of protesters, it appears that the peaceful ones have finally had enough of the masked anarchist variety. The Tyee has an article about the head of the Pivot Legal Society getting a pie in the face when trying to reason with the more militant faction of the protest coalition. I used to think a lot of Pivot until it seemed that they were aligning themselves with the militants. I just couldn't understand it. Now that the fissure has erupted in the coalition, I can go back to being supportive of Pivot, but I can't help thinking that if little old me knew this was going to happen, how come they didn't?

Oh ya, the "four spliffs and a bowl" torch. Yep, there is a big ugly fence.

The slit they created may be a bit high for short photographers. I had to stand on tip toe. It doesn't matter though, because they created a new viewing area.

It's from on top of the grass roofed convention centre.

At first, I thought there was no way I would stand in line to take a picture of the flame but I looked around and changed my mind.

Why wouldn't I want to hang around in one of the most picturesque spots in the city on a gorgeous sunny day with a bunch of happy people?

It's not really a hardship to watch sea planes take off and boats cruise by now is it?

I noticed the boys didn't check with each to see who got to wear the new new shirt.

 

I had never walked up the ramp to the top of the convention centre before.

From every direction the view is incredible.

Look out! The flame! The flame!

 You can feel the heat.

A nice cop (I don't think he was a fascist pig but how does one tell these things) offered to take my picture.

I look down upon the fenced in masses. 

There is a lot of media doing their reports in front of the flame. I eavesdropped on American gold medalist Shaun White's coach being interviewed. For anyone who thinks it isn't show business, they had him say the same thing four times in four different ways.

The torch, it's big and glassy and it has fire.

 I started the day on a trek to see ground zero of Olympic complaining but met a whole bunch of really friendly cops and not a grumble from the masses.  Another perfect day in surprisingly patriotic, happy Vancouver.

Syrup Suckers and Iceholes Welcome Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report has been comically baiting Vancouver for several weeks now. Calling us unfair Syrup Suckers and Iceholes he has challenged the cliche notion of Canada as a friendly country.

 

He accused Vancouver 2010 of unfairly restricting pre-games access to Olympic Venues to foreign competitors. In doing so, he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help sponsor the US speed skating team and accepted an invitation from Richmond's mayor (the site of the speed skating oval) to come to Vancouver and be the official speed skating ombudsman.

How could a city civilized enough to have bicycle valets possibly be as unfriendly as he suggests?

This morning, Stephen and crew set up for the first of two sun filled days of taping from Vancouver. On a stage within view of Athlete's Village and BC Place thousands stood in muddy grass to catch his antics. Many arrived as early as five-thirty for the nine fifteen taping.

 

At nine-forty-five the stage manager came out and gave us instructions to cheer really loud when he raised his red mittened hand. then he put on a twenty minute video of Stephen's journey to the Olympics.

At ten thirty the warm up guy finally came out. It amazed me that after, for some, five hours of waiting I did not hear anyone complain. Like everything I've experienced in crowds so far the good mood is relentless.

Then, like on cue, an eagle circled above us and flew away just before Stephen came one stage.
Wearing a USA sweater he greeted us and laughingly asked the audience to forgive him if he "fucks up".

So the show started, and Stephen "fucked up", and it stared again and, you guessed it, he f'd up again. Oh ya, he asked us to keep that to ourselves, oops.

The first segment featured an unedited taped interview with Ujal Dosanjh, MP for Vancouver South, as part of the show's regular segment called "Better Know Your District" renamed as "Better Know Your Riding". It will be interesting to see what makes the cut.

The first guest, Michael Buble, came out and the crowd started chanting "ride the moose, ride the moose". Michael looked slightly frightened. I understand, I swear that moose kept staring at me.

Stephen and Michael sang Oh Canada to the tune of God Bless America. It hurt my brain.

The next guest was Mike Eruzione the captain the the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" men's hockey team. They talked about the comparison between America of 1980 and America now, economic depression, a war, and a weak democratic president. Mike said it was good for America to defeat their enemy in hockey which led to speculation about a Taliban hockey team.

It snowed for Stephen's entrance with guest sportscaster Bob Costas. They talked about the summer Olympics and whatever season this is.

 

Bob is a tough character who has seen it all so he wasn't afraid to bow to the crowd's wishes.

Stephen ended the show by picking up the beaver that was part of the set and remarking that it smelled like wet beaver. Then he signed off.

After the show he raised a beaver in thanks joked about how hard he is on us. The entire taping took about an hour and a half for a half hour episode. I can't wait to see what the final product looks like.  I'll think about going to tomorrow's taping. Nine-fifteen(ish) beside Science World. It's a fun time. Check it out. I'm sure he will be bragging about watching the US speed skater's successful day. How about that Shani Davis?

The Sun Came Out and There Was Gold!

 I am a victim of the great relapsing cough plague of 2010. I spent Saturday morning with a chorus of coughers at the clinic. (If I didn't have a cough problem before I certainly do after that.) I am sick of hacking but admit that I appreciate the extra space it affords me on the Skytrain and in the huge crowds swarming around the Olympic venues.

I enjoyed the Opening Ceremonies, I found it moving.  CTV's coverage was a bit lacking though. Too much wobbly long lens camera work and less than stellar direction. Oh and, Brian Williams and LLoyd Robertson, geesh! I quickly recalled, during the last Olympics, that Brian Williams made me feel like I was being pounded in the forehead with a frozen microphone; ice slivers of useless information piercing my brain, while completely overlooking things you actually need to know. Man, he's annoying! And LLoyd, poor fellow, time to retire buddy. The NBC coverage had solid direction, some beautiful crane shots and I found out all kinds of things without listening to senseless babble. I know NBC has a lot more money and experience at these types of events so I'll cut the director and camera crew some slack. The sports coverage, with their consortium of other network's, has been pretty good. I just use the remote to mute Brian.

 My cough made me miss all the charming, black masked, people spitting and spraying vinegar in the eyes of  cops, whilst they cause a swath of destruction in their wake. The only thing that surprises me about the violence is the protesters that claim shock and try to distance themselves from the splinter group's actions. I know that most of the protesters are peaceful people with legitimate concerns but how could this possibly be a surprise? Put down your doobie and take some responsibility for who you consort with and have let become your mouth piece for many years now. There are more positive ways to draw attention to, and raise funds for, your causes than carrying a large puppet behind thugs that are "arrogant idealists with victim complexes".  (thanks to Kristin for that description, I thought it was pretty good)

On Sunny warm Sunday, Gord and I took the Skytrain downtown to wade through the crowds and get a feel for everything. (We walked right on the train despite the long line ups. The car people have no idea what they're doing so they wait a huge lines to get on the escalator when the stairs are right beside them. And, it is usually a good idea to go to the station before the one everyone else is using. Rocket science.)

Thanks to  Gord's parents, we have red and white from the last Olympics and didn't have to give official sponsor HBC any money to blend in with the crowd.









The crowds are enormous but everyone is happy and very chatty. None of the usual reserve that people show to strangers. It's a giddy enthusiasm that is festive and fun and multi-lingual.

On every stairway and street corner people are listening to bands or watching buskers.

Some watch their friends to fly through the sky.

Most are just happy being in the sunshine and admiring the artwork.

As we, and thousands of others, stood on the corner of Burrard and Georgia waiting for the light to change a couple of motorcycle cops, sirens wailing, drove into the middle of the intersection and stopped. They dismounted and using their hands and whistles made it clear that no one was to move. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a motorcade led by more motorcycle cops, a cruiser and three black SUVs sped, and I mean really, really fast, through the intersection. After the black SUVs a luxurious tan armoured SUV (with very small windows and a waving woman) was followed by another round of black SUVs and cops and then another round of SUVs and another tan armoured SUV and another round of black SUVs and cops, then four vans and more cops. Then, the motorcycle cops blocking the intersection quickly re-mounted and left following the motorcade. It was funny how the crowd just watched with their mouths hanging open, no one even speaking. As it ended, the man beside me said, "I think they are more important than us". Then, the light changed and everyone went back to having a good time.

In every bar and pavilion, as well as on the street, large screens broadcast the athletes and their surreal feats of speed and courage.

We watched and cheered as Kristina Groves won bronze in speed skating and saw the start of the men's moguls and made it home in time to see Alex Bilodeau win gold.

I just watched Alex receive his medal. The crowd at BC Place went nuts. I got a little teary. Tomorrow I'm going to check out a pavilion or two, hopefully cough free.

Chasing the Torch

As we left my building to watch the torch travel up Commercial Drive we were greeted by a group of police on horseback slowly clopping their way up the hill.

A passerby informed us that the torch had been re-routed because the protesters were coming up the Drive.

No surprise really, the organizers knew this would happen.

We followed the horses up to the corner and watched them position themselves shoulder to shoulder blocking the street. By this time most of the crowd was headed in the other direction to catch the torch at First Avenue. We watched for a moment as about two hundred protesters, most in masks, chanted their way toward the horse line. Only a handful of people stayed to watch their parade. A man behind me yelled "that's right make them walk through horse shit!"

   We turned and made our way to First Avenue where there was a huge crowd waiting for the torch. It was pretty uneventful as the torchbearer,  ex-mayor Sam Sullivan, is in a wheelchair so only the front line of people could see anything. Once the torched passed the equestrian troop merely turned and clopped back to where they came from.

Downtown I saw red. Happy Canada red. Thousands of people teeming about, all smiling and talking to each other. The atmosphere is overwhelmingly positive and the energy is amazing. Tonight is the big show. A couple thousand protesters will be there to entertain tens of thousands of revelers. I'm going to watch it on TV.

Taking What I Can Get

Cough cough cough cough cough.

I managed to leave the house for a while on Sunday morning but that was it. Today, I'm feeling much better. Good thing because we have no food and there is a cheque that really needs to be introduced to our bank account.

The nice part about the time I have spent on my sofa is that I have a great view of the nightly light show called Vectorial Elevation. Spot lights, set up in English Bay, dance around the sky behind my view of the city skyline. The little kid in me likes that. 

Even though I haven't been getting out, I have my spies. I have it on good authority, direct from Athletes Village, that the Russian woman's hockey team are really hot. (Didn't see that coming) Thank you, code name Carlos Spicy Weiner. I hope he uses his own special brand of hotness to distract the American hockey team for they are much more of a threat. I also know that Sarah McLachlan was amazing at the opening ceremonies rehearsal, sorry to spoil the surprise.

The bad part about being trapped at home is that I spend too much time on the internet where cynicism rules the day. It's depressing.

Like yesterday morning's weather, sometimes the sun can shine and it can rain at the same time.  I have trouble with absolutes and black and white.  I'm against capital punishment and pro choice. I think gambling is a destructive tax on the poor and addicted, but don't complain when arts and culture organizations receive money from gaming. Life is messy.

Years ago, I worked for a politician. I remember being upset when he was meeting with industry lobbyists that my lefty heart didn't approve of. I wondered how he could possibly talk to these people. After some time I began to understand his thinking; if you play all or nothing you'll probably end up with nothing.  If you don't show up for the game, you loose.

My local arena was originally scheduled to be renovated to be a practice facility for Olympic hockey.  A petition was formed. The security will be too much! The character of the neighbourhood will be destroyed! The kids will have nowhere to play! The petition was successful and the upgrade went to another arena.  I bet, after all is said and done, the kids at the renovated rink will really appreciate my neighbourhood's moral indignation.

This massive expensive machine is coming in town and at least we'll be left with some infrastructure improvements. Yes, they are going to cost us dearly. Yes, if I was one of my friends or relatives that is a teacher or a nurse I'd be really worried about my job right now. Yes, almost everyone in the business that pays my bills (film and television) is not working because the industry is shut down for the month. But not taking advantage of what is actually happening seems ludicrous.

I read an article, (sorry, can't remember where) one of the one's that insists nothing good can possibly be attributed to the Olympics. The author stated that the improvements to the Sea to Sky Highway are useless because it is still going to snow. Somehow, I doubt he would have made such a statement if the improvements hadn't been connected to the Olympics. I can only assume that he had never driven the old sea to sky highway which, even in the summer, was akin to a death wish. I drove the improved highway a couple of times this summer and not once did I come close to pissing myself in fear. Go ahead and hate the Olympics but, come on, it's a massive and necessary improvement. Oh yes, there was environmental damage, not a good thing, that. Unfortunately, I can't imagine how it will ever be possible to build anything anywhere without environmental damage. Sometimes it's a good idea to fix the road so fewer people will die.

I'll watch some of the Olympics on TV. I'll get misty when our flag goes up or when one of those "athlete overcomes adversity and their family loves them" pieces that are part of the Olympic soap opera. I really like a good race. The men's short track speed skating final at the Salt Lake City games (where all the leaders crashed into each other and the lagging Australian cruised across the finish line to take gold while the favorites crawled on their knees to get silver and bronze) was damn entertaining. I might stand in line for a free zip line ride six stories above Robson or drink a beer in the Saskatchewan Pavilion and check out the show at the Art Gallery. If you are willing to have a little fun, join me. I'll take you to a free event. I'm planning on packing my camera and taking in as many of them as I can.

Talk to you later, I'm out of here.

The Insecurity of Security

It's a beautiful day today, warm enough to open up the windows to let some of the stench of sick people out. I'm feeling quite a bit better. Even made it upstairs to check on the daffodils. They'll be blooming soon.  I haven't left my apartment since Sunday afternoon, so I've seen a lot of TV and surfed a lot of internet. No shortage of Olympic coverage, it's unavoidable. Security is the media obsession of late.

In one of my earlier blogs, a commenter noted that part of the dread that Vancouver is feeling is fear. I agree, like everything else with these Olympics, much of the chatter is polarized; from the security is a joke to this bit of hyperbole, in an otherwise interesting opinion piece, by Douglas Haddow's  in The Guardian , "Vancouver looks more like post-war Berlin than an Olympic wonderland." I haven't seen any tanks but maybe he's more in the know. It is true though, there is lots of security. Canada's elite commando squad JTF2 is lurking around somewhere and the military claims that they have the ability to be in the air around the clock but other than the increased helicopter traffic and all the security fencing around the venues (nicely wrapped in VANOC colours) it isn't overwhelming.

 I don't think it's Al Qaeda that has folks on edge however, it's a fear of a clash between protesters and the police. I'm no stranger to protesting. I pounded the pavement in many anti-nuke rallies, wasted my time protesting the Iraq war and, in the early eighties, briefly belonged to an anti-unemployment group that was a communist front. I was twenty and idealistic and that's what most of the current protesters are but today there is a much more ominous faction among them. It's definitely a different time. The Vancouver Sun actually ran a comprehensive article (I know, I know) in Saturday's paper about security and activists.

The area where I live is home to many of the city's anarchists and violent radical fringe.  They claim to be okay using violence to further their causes, whether it's the anti-capitalist revolution or something surprisingly minor. For example, last year, there were chilling posters stapled up around the hood that encouraged the use of violence to force a family, accused of the crime of gentrification, to move away. The mother was guilty of lobbying to get an overused local park upgraded. The poster included a picture of the couple and their young child and indicated that all of them were fair game.

My friend had an internet date with an SFU student who thought it was good first date etiquette to reveal that his life will be a success if he kills a cop. He didn't get a second date but I'm pretty sure he'll be amongst the Olympic protesters waiting for his thrill of a lifetime.

Like everywhere else in Canada, we're  a pretty peaceful bunch, but there are some stupid cops and there are some protesters more than willing to take things too far. I hope it doesn't happen. It's expensive, financially and socially and ... sigh.

London's Calling

Okay, I  dragged myself to the computer because I promised myself that I would blog at least every couple of days. I hadn't contemplated getting a energy zapping, fog headed cold, oh well. I have been staring at the screen for some time now, breathing through my mouth, head bobbing slightly, no thoughts whatsoever. I will endeavor to write something down and post it even if it makes no sense. Sniff.

What if this cold spreads through Athletes village?

Back on Saturday, when I still felt like a person, Gord and I took the Sea Bus to North Vancouver. The terminal is covered in advertising for London, the next Olympic city.

 

 

Was that all they would give you London or are you particularly interested in attracting folks from the extra soggy North Shore?

 Police and Coast Guard boats were everywhere. They must have been doing a training exercise.

When we got off at Lonsdale Quay there was dozens of RCMP officers, of a certain advanced age, having lunch. My guess is that they are retired cops that have come from across the country to volunteer to stand in the rain at gates and checkpoints for two weeks.

Sunday morning I rose early to catch a ferry to Victoria to help photograph and record the 80th birthday party of my friend's father. I didn't feel great but didn't give it much thought until  I was standing in a hall surrounded by white hair. It crossed my mind that whatever I was coming down with could be the death of them. I tried to be careful what I touched. I'm a bad person.

Having spent the last forty-odd hours in bed I watched some TV news. Trucks hauling snow to Cypress from Manning Park was the big story. The warmest winter on record. The long term forecast looks like the figure skating judges scores; 9, 9, 9, 8, 9, 8.

The other story was about a information centre that the government set up in the Downtown Eastside. It's purpose is to inform the world's media of all the great work they are doing to help the drug addicted and homeless folks that call that area of the city home. Handy, it gives the people with the protest signs somewhere to focus their attention, and makes it easier for the media too. They have both sides of the story right there. One stop shopping.

I have a head ache.