Sochi Winter Olympics Open Thread

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Based on what I have heard about overall conditions in the area, it appears we have our first Olympics in a Third World Country.
 
It does sound like a third world country if you rely on mainly Western news sources. Then again, America and Western Europe don’t sound too hot if you read Russian news sources.
 
The 22nd edition of the Winter Olympics opened today in Russia. Several Western leaders boycotted the event to protest Russia’s laws against “homosexual propaganda.” Instead, the spotlight is on Chinese President Xi Jinxing, and on the two countries’ closer economic, energy, defence, and trade ties.

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Currently watching it and I watched the last one in London. I would say this is probably the best opening ever. Great performance by the Russians!
 
Russia is a fascinating mixture of the horrible and the sublime; of the familiar and the alien; of the astonishingly capable and the astonishingly inept.

I have no pretense to being knowledgeable of statesmanship, but I have, since the very moment the Soviet Union fell apart, felt that the West had a golden opportunity to cement a good relationship with Russia, but threw it away. And in the course of doing so, and in a manner of speaking, we threw the Russian people away as well, into a national situation that could have been far better than it is.

But then, it often seems this country is adept at throwing away good people and situations.

Of one thing, though, I have no doubt at all. Russians always complain about what it is to be Russian. But there is no prouder people on the face of the earth for being what they are.
 
I was surprised that this is only the second time that Russia/USSR has hosted the Olympics. The 1980 summer games were affected by the boycott and I remember being really bummed out about it (I wonder if I still have Misha packed away somewhere…). Anyway, 1980 was a long time ago technology-wise and I wonder what kind of articles, blog posts and tweets there would have been coming out from Moscow if they had been available. The Soviet Union was all about appearances so I’m wondering what the accommodations were like back then for the athletes, press and tourists.

I contrast the election of Pope JPII with the elections of Pope Emeritus Benedict and Pope Francis. In 1978 we found out about JPII hours after his election and very little was known about him and the process of electing a pope. With the elections of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis most of the world knew right as it was happening and coverage was non-stop.

It’s a different world and my expectations are pretty high for both technology and toilets.
 
Listening to the Opening Ceremonies and heard Putin’s name and I felt myself flinch. I might have some feelings about him.

But I love hearing the Russian national anthem.

I really hope the Games go well.
 
Too bad for the Western media. They had been broadcasting too much negativity. Let’s see what they would be saying after this grand opening ceremony.
 
Western leaders stay away from Sochi Olympics. Snub to Russia?

Many Western leaders have issues with Russia today – Syria and human rights among them. For the US, add NSA leaker Edward Snowden. However, Asian leaders and those from former Soviet republics are in Sochi.

news.yahoo.com/western-leaders-stay-away-sochi-olympics-snub-russia-191700142.html

I am tired of hearing gay this, gay that or the West embracing this gay biz. Gay makes up around 2% of the population and yet takes up 98% of the news. Can we have real news?

Russia is not blind they can see what is happening to the USA and other nations that have embraced this so called GAY is the Way nonsense.
 
Waiting for the “no fishing in toilet” graphic to become a t-shirt!😃
 
Let me get this strait. China aborts, abuses and throws away children and not a peep when they hosted. Now, Russia has a law making it illegal to expose children to homosexual propaganda and the world is freaking out!?

There is something bigger going on with all of this homosexual stuff.

But on to the Olympics.

I, unlike many, think the winter olympics are the best of the olympics. Ice skating is proof that humans are a unique creation, truly children of God Himself. And skiing etc is the sheer mastery of a mountain with snow for fun, competition and entertainment!

Go USA! Go Russia! Go world!

The western media is making a blatant attempt to be biased with these olympics.

Bob Costas said his eye was as red as the old Soviet Flag, and reports are that the olympic villiage looks like a refugee camp.

Newsflash! They all do! At the last Olympics there was a report about the sheer number of condoms given away to the athletes!:rolleyes: It is woodstock for people who are athletic! What do you expect!
 
Western media sure is going the extra mile to try and make the Russians look bad. Hope these games are a tremendous success for Russia.
 
Seamus_L said:
Western media sure is going the extra mile to try and make the Russians look bad. Hope these games are a tremendous success for Russia.
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In my mind, Putin is a scoundrel, but the Russian people are not scoundrels. With this “don’t solicit our kids” thing, Putin is playing to a fundamental Russian sense of decency, or at least aspiration to decency.

Too many in the west have lost both.

Western media are doing the Russian people and their own people a tremendous disservice in putting Russia down.
 
kelvinf said:
Currently watching it and I watched the last one in London. I would say this is probably the best opening ever. Great performance by the Russians!
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I can’t make a comparison (I’ve missed more than a few opening and closing ceremonies) but I thought it was classy and hit all the right notes. My favorite part was the winter sports constellations lighting up and the starry floor. Magical!
 
Oh, dear. Is that a spoiler? :o Or a “hey, don’t miss this,” sort of thing? 😊 I might have actually watched the opening ceremonies live and didn’t know it.

Um…don’t miss the Russian police singing Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”. I guess Russian military groups like to sing together.
 
I’m always mixed about this stuff. I thought the whole point of the Olympics was to compete without the politics. The games are not meant to be affected by the real conflicts between nations. I suppose the Munich Olympics changed that considerably.

Our athletes have sacrificed so much, their families as well, that I want to support them aby watching, but I also am burned out on all this. Haven’t decided yet whether to turn it on or not.
 
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