Sochi

[FreeThinker]

Friday night in the US and I am watching delayed coverage of the opening ceremonies from Sochi. The light show, particularly during the part about Russian history and the Imperial period--the sailing ship and the projected map of St. Petersburg, was spectacular. I've enjoyed, too, the emphasis on Russia's maginificent heritage of ballet.

However, London did it better.

[Merkin]

London had the Queen floating down in a parachute. Suchi could at least have had Putin descending in the arms of Zeus.

[FreeThinker]

As Ganymede? How appropriate! Though Vlad isn't exactly a beautiful youth anymore!

[DesDownunder]

As Ganymede? How appropriate! Though Vlad isn't exactly a beautiful youth anymore!

I don't think he knows that, or that he is not a gift from god.

[Nigel Gordon]

Thursday was interesting, I was watching the Team Figure Skating, they had the Men's Figure and the Pair's Figure elements on Thursday and it was shown on the BBC Red Button. This was clearly the first transmission that the Russian TV feed had done with a live audience. It the early part of the transmission there were a number of long shots which showed the audience in the background and one kept getting glimpses of the Rainbow Flag in one form or another. As the transmission went on the shots got more and more tightly focused on the skating and the incidence of the Rainbow Flag became less and less until it was completely excluded.

[Chris James]

Not watching the Olympics. It really has nothing to do with Russia or Putin. They are acting as they always have: being jackbooted remnants of the KGB following along on the path of the Nazi SS. Now instead of Jews they have ordinary gay people in their sights. But this is normal in a country that has to be the most corrupt on the planet.

I do wish the US athletes well...even Jessie Owens performed at his best in front of Adolph Hitler. Wonder how big a bribe Putin paid the princes of the IOC to get this grand moment of propaganda for his nation?

[E.J.]

...during his address at today's opening ceremony IOC president Thomas Bach made a strong statement against "any form of discrimination" and in favor of tolerance. Viewers worldwide heard the statement; NBC viewers in the U.S. did not, because the network edited it out.

Unedited speech here:

http://deadspin.com/nbc-edits-out-ioc-anti-discrimination-statement-from-op-1518727938

[Nigel Gordon]

Wonder how big a bribe Putin paid the princes of the IOC to get this grand moment of propaganda for his nation?

However much it was he must count it as worth it to get his mistress into the opening ceremony.

[vwl]

Openly gay speed skater wins Olympic Gold Medal

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/02/09/gold-for-speedskater-is-first-openly-gay-athlete-to-medal-in-sochi/

[Nigel Gordon]

Well if anybody wants to see an example of bravery and remarkable skating, watch Jeremy Abbott, the USA figure skater doing his short programme. He falls and is clearly injured, is on the floor for about 20 seconds, then gets up and not only completes his programme in obvious pain but manages to get all the required elements into what is left of his time on the ice.