Hi all,

I am a doctoral student doing my dissertation on policing/security aspects of the Olympics. I'm looking to speak with people who have experience or insights into the consequences that the Olympics will have in terms of security and policing, so if you think you have something to offer, I'd love to talk with you - please don't hesitate to get in touch!

- Phil Boyle
phil_boyle007@yahoo.ca

Britiannia Community Centre Rink as olympic practice venue!!!!

Just wanted to let folks know that a group of us from The Torch (a new anti-olympics ZINE) are holding a meeting at Britannia on Sunday Dec. 2, from 2-4 to discuss the push from VANOC to have britannia be a practice venue. Every single person I have talked to is appalled by the idea and is horrified at the security apparatus that this decision could bring to our local community centre.
Everyone welcome and any questions just e-mail us at thetorch@resist.ca

I confirmed this with the organization that runs the site. This is a list of "carded" athletes from just a part of one sport, track. 32 of them are "international" "senior" medical" or maintenance" These people receive $1500 a month from Ottawa in training allowances.
There are also 14 listed under development. They get $900 per month.
That is a total of $727,200 annually for just a few from just one sport what is the total of tax dollars annually spent like this?
Bruce DeVenne
http://www.athleticscanada.com/files//Nati...PRIL2007FINALEN.PDF

Where does it all end? We were successful in stopping Halifax's bidding on the Commonwealth Games but it goes on and on and on.
How many billions of Canadian tax dollars go into elitist international and national games annually? While doing research into the Commonwealth Games I discovered a list of competitions as long as your arm. The Summer and Winter Olympics, The Canada Summer and Winter games, The Commonwealth Games (summer but they are looking at adding winter games I've heard), The Pan Am games, The Paralympics, The International Children's Games, The Gay games, The Native games, The Acadian games, The Francophone Games, the University games and the recent FIFA cup series to mention a few that Canada is involved in. These games have one thing in common. The athletes are supported predominantly by our tax dollars. Either directly through grants and training allowances or indirectly through donations from companies who then write it off against their taxes. Listen to the sports news almost any day and somewhere in the world Canadian athletes are there is one competition or another. As well, staging these games is financed almost exclusively by the tax payer, building facilities, paying travel in some cases, feeding and housing the athletes and in many cases donating millions to training programs for other countries. A dozen accountants and their computers probably couldn't come up with even a close figure but the total cost has to be horrendous. Add to this the fact that the tax payer is now the banker who builds the facilities for many pro franchises and the total costs is that much greater.Look at London and China both over $20 billion USD for the next two Summer Olympics. Where does it end? Governments around the world have no problem finding cash to support these events while education, medical care all the basics of life are slipping in many countries and almost non-existent in many more. How did we get into this eternal games scenario and, more importantly how do we get out of it? Government has to get back to looking out for the basics, the every day needs of the population not financing what has become one eternal sporting event. Not since Nero's Rome has so much money been spent staging games for the population to sit and watch.
 
Bruce DeVenne

I just got a type-written letter from Betty Krawczyk in jail - it's posted word for word at Orato.com at http://www.orato.com/node/3359. If anyone on this site wants to write about the 2010 Games, I encourage you to check out the site. I'm curious to know how the issues are evolving as we get closer to the date - any thoughts? Thanks, Robyn.

You won't see me, I'm taking a vacation out of the city at that time, probably out of the province also....

Vancouver 2010 - The Sea To Sky Games

Only 932 days to go!

See you there!!

An Undying Call for Olympic Fanatics?
By Concerned Citizen of Canada


Let your mind be freed from queries. Let your voice be heard everywhere. Aren’t you sick and tired of what’s happening to our surroundings regarding the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics? Lobbying, rallying and boycotts may not be enough to get the attention of the VANOC officials and its elite groups and the greedy and unethical government officials of British Columbia. We have been continuously fooled by these people with their non-reliable and non-existing figures that they used to published in every corners of the mass media.
If you people of Canada are more concern of what will and may happen in the future. On what will and may be the effect to the majority, not only for those people living in the skidrow area of East Vancouver but also for those average families. We are asking you to voluntarily participate in a “MASS CONSCIOUSNESS BRIGADE“, the power of our mind is very effective to use as our weapon to fight this elite group back. The power of intent is a powerful tool to change the weather on 2010. Yes, Vancouver Olympics may happen but if we will join together by using our mind there maybe a huge mass disruption in the outdoor events. We will be having a mild weather in the Whistler area. With these, it will be a great failure to the VANOCs and its allies and a big humiliation to the whole world.
It is effective! This power of the mind has been proved in the year 1998 of July at Northeast of Florida when they were hit by a drought conditions. Upon using the Mass Consciousness they were able to have a downfall of rains. And it was a success!
So people of Canada, let’s give ourselves a chance. We can prove this to everybody. We can make a difference! We can do it!

Edited by author 06-25-2007 06:05 PM
You know what grinds my gears? Rich People. So, to protest, I'll vandalize their homes and evict them myself. You know what else grinds my gears? The government. So, I'll boycott their public schools. That sounds reasonable, that will show how bad a life I've had. Wow the Olympics are partly Government funded, so maybe I'll go ruin that for everyone.

Dean - Hitler hated the homeless just like you do, he also hated gypsy's jews, catholics and just about anyone else that was non arryan. What do you suggest ? Maybe Mein Kampf has inspired you, if not maybe read it and see if it resonates with you in some way - my guess is it will.

The anger you show towards the homeless is the same anger people face when being evicted. Your angry comments show the need for the APC to exist and fight for the rights of the downtrodden in society.

We often think we live in a perfect society when we are happy with our own lives. When we see people on the streets, people selling drugs, people panhandling, it reminds us that life is not perfect. Some respond by helping and some respond with anger. The anger does not help directly, but it does show many people that our society is even less perfect than we thought and that people who are angry often have more barriers in their own lives than someone who is homeless.

Edited by author 05-25-2007 01:41 AM
Homeless people are completely useless. If they had any value to society at all they would have dug themselves out a long time ago. OH BUT THEYRE STILL PEOPLE! Yeah theyre people. So was Hitler. But I would still punch him in the face if I saw him.

Fuck David Cunningham and the APC!!

What a loser in life.

To many people an increased police presence at various Olympic related events could be percieved as a victory - it goes to show what lengths and expenses the organisers of the games are willing to go to protect their own assets....

The reasoning may be sound, but the results are probably the same which are no results at all. That's my perception. We all see things differently and that's just human nature. I'm sure we'll talk again soon. - John

Edited by author 05-08-2007 06:30 PM
It sounds like you have a run in with an agressive pan handler or two. I have never had a problem with them, if I have change I try and give it, but I don't belittle anyone for asking for money, just carry on walking.

The APC do the things they do because they beleive all other methods to be ineffectual. If I believed the same I would probably be out there with them, however I am content with running the 2010watch site and talking to the media. There are several groups using various methods to make change in regard to the Olympics, vocal protesting, stealing flags and spray painting are other methods.

Consider that people like Betty K and Harriet were put in jail for protesting the Eagle Ridge Bluffs and a lot of the anger out there was triggered by their unjust sentancing. To a lot of people the BC gov't and the developers Jack Poole and David Podmore will stop at nothing and that is why the protests have turned for the worse - no response so far. There was no response when the protests were quiet and well behaved, so the level had to be upped to get a response.