Ok, this is getting out of hand. You would think that at least in athletics women would be judged based on their athletic prowess and dedication instead of their appearance. Well, apparently that is only partially the case. I keep seeing magazine spreads and TV shows flaunting female athletes as sex objects. It scares me to think that my 5 year old daughter is being bamboozled with all of this smutty and sexist crap even on syndicated networks that are supposed to promote egalitarianism! The latest celluloid trash I saw was on Access Hollywood. Instead of focusing on the accomplishments of the female athletes they dedicated an entire segment to the "Babes of the Olympics."
In it, female athletes are shown in bikinis and in provocative poses. Its the winter Olympics, for crying out loud, not Maui! One example was Julia Mancuso. Mancuso won gold in the Giant Slalom in Turin. Instead of focusing on her incredible athleticism and the fact that she made her World Cup debut at the tender age of 15, it showcases her "goods" for the whole world to see. I'm also somewhat disappointed in the athletes who actually chose to participate in the photo shoots. At the same time, considering the vast majority of them are amateur athletes, meaning they get very little funding for their training endeavors...it almost seems like they have no choice but to denigrate themselves to continue persuing their bona fide passion. Corporate sponsors take note. Women are not sex objects. Stop thinking with your other head and get the blood flowing upstairs, perverts!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Be Prepared!
If you are planning on being a spectator/tourist at the Vancouver games you may want to implement the following tips to make your experience as safe and exciting as possible.
First, make sure you arrive early to any event you will be attending. One of the reasons why you should arrive early is so that you won't miss any part of the event. Security screening proceedings can take a while, so its best to be there asap. Gates for events will open between 2-4 hours before the actual competition, so you can't have any excuses for being tardy!
Second, make sure to check your tickets before you go. Each ticket has a unique session code. Also, lost or stolen tickets cannot be replaced of refunded...
Next, if you need to bring a bag with you make sure it is as petite as possible. If you have a really tiny bag (or no bag at all) you can use the express lane to enter the venue.
Forth, make sure you know what you can and cannot bring to the event beforehand. All spectators will have to go through a metal detector. Not bringing any metal or foreign items to the event will speeden up the screening process exponentially.
Finally, follow instructions. Public information marshals will be scattered throughout the venue and will provide you with instructions on where to go and what to do once there. Avoid any hassles by being a keen listener.
If you are one of the lucky few who has been bestowed the honor of attending the 21st Olympiad then make sure to be safe and relish every moment on behalf of the majority who sadly won't be attending.
First, make sure you arrive early to any event you will be attending. One of the reasons why you should arrive early is so that you won't miss any part of the event. Security screening proceedings can take a while, so its best to be there asap. Gates for events will open between 2-4 hours before the actual competition, so you can't have any excuses for being tardy!
Second, make sure to check your tickets before you go. Each ticket has a unique session code. Also, lost or stolen tickets cannot be replaced of refunded...
Next, if you need to bring a bag with you make sure it is as petite as possible. If you have a really tiny bag (or no bag at all) you can use the express lane to enter the venue.
Forth, make sure you know what you can and cannot bring to the event beforehand. All spectators will have to go through a metal detector. Not bringing any metal or foreign items to the event will speeden up the screening process exponentially.
Finally, follow instructions. Public information marshals will be scattered throughout the venue and will provide you with instructions on where to go and what to do once there. Avoid any hassles by being a keen listener.
If you are one of the lucky few who has been bestowed the honor of attending the 21st Olympiad then make sure to be safe and relish every moment on behalf of the majority who sadly won't be attending.
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Age Old Debate
I'm referring to the "controversy" surrounding female skiing powerhouse Lindsey Vonn. Vonn is the 1st woman skier from the United States to have won two consecutive World Cup Championships. She was also featured as the cover athlete for the February issue of Sports Illustrated. The title "America's Best Woman Skier Ever" was emblazoned on the glossy cover. Surprisingly, this inflammatory statement is not what elicited the controversy. It had to do with the way Vonn was "positioned" on the cover. Vonn is seen skiing downhill with her smiling face positioned towards the reader. Her rear is almost magnified in the cover.
While I can see some people accusing this cover of being sexist I beg to differ. Sports Illustrated actually created a cover very similar to this one, except it involved a male skier in spandex instead. The male cover elicited no controversy whatsoever. The fact of the matter is Sports Illustrated covers try to capture dynamic energy. To have the cover athlete actually engage in the sport they're good at. As a result, I don't see any problems with the cover.
While I can see some people accusing this cover of being sexist I beg to differ. Sports Illustrated actually created a cover very similar to this one, except it involved a male skier in spandex instead. The male cover elicited no controversy whatsoever. The fact of the matter is Sports Illustrated covers try to capture dynamic energy. To have the cover athlete actually engage in the sport they're good at. As a result, I don't see any problems with the cover.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Skirts for Sticks
Saturday, Saturday! Yup, I love my hockey. Any hockey die-hard hockey fan gets that warm fuzzy feeling in their hearts when the puck drops on Saturday night. This time around, we'll be rooting for our fav's as they go for Gold with the whole world watching. At the same time, I think that women's hockey doesn't get the accolades and ratings it deserves. I recently saw this really stupid (and arguably sexist) commercial about eggs. Yeah, you read that right. In the commercial two dumb-a*ss Joe Blow's happen to be skating in the same rink where Olympic and World Champion hockey players Haley Wickenheiser and Kim St-Pierre are practicing. They have no clue as ti who these amazing athletes are and challenge them to a match. The losers would have to buy breakfast for the winners. Obviously, the women dominate and crush the idiots. Anyway, it just pisses me off that women's hockey doesn't get the exposure and sponsors it deserves. They are every bit as incredible as the men...with far less financing and athletic programs. The only thing I would like to see added to women's hockey is fighting and body-checking. This whole misogynist notion that women are made of "sugar and spice and everything nice" needs to change. Women can be total bad-asses if they wanna be and I encourage it.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Supremacy Incarnate...
The Canadians want to dominate. They want to crush the competition and revel in the misery of their fallen foes. They believe their time to strike will be in 2010. And I am in concurrence with their timing. At the 2009 World Championships Canada nabbed the #1 spot with the most medals. I guess they're expecting more of the same....especially with an entire nation to support them as they strive for excellence.
To me, Canada has always been the "friendly neighbor" type. Most people don't think of "dominance" when they think Canada. More like "subservience" and "pacifism." So it did come to me as a surprise when they openly proclaimed that they weren't in it to "do their best" but to "beat out the rest." I'm actually impressed, honestly. With their awesome "Own the Podium" program; which had over 100 million dollars invested into it, they've got the bark to back up their bite. Good stuff.
Luciano Barra, a renowned Olympic expert, analyst, and former direct general of the Italian Olympic Committee expects Canada to win 29 medals: 1 more than the German and American powerhouses. Obviously, only time will tell if the Canucks can back up the hype, but it'd be a nice "global" makeover for the nation if they can pull off the upset. The pursuit of perfection begins in IX days...
To me, Canada has always been the "friendly neighbor" type. Most people don't think of "dominance" when they think Canada. More like "subservience" and "pacifism." So it did come to me as a surprise when they openly proclaimed that they weren't in it to "do their best" but to "beat out the rest." I'm actually impressed, honestly. With their awesome "Own the Podium" program; which had over 100 million dollars invested into it, they've got the bark to back up their bite. Good stuff.
Luciano Barra, a renowned Olympic expert, analyst, and former direct general of the Italian Olympic Committee expects Canada to win 29 medals: 1 more than the German and American powerhouses. Obviously, only time will tell if the Canucks can back up the hype, but it'd be a nice "global" makeover for the nation if they can pull off the upset. The pursuit of perfection begins in IX days...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Prognosis Positive?
One of the things we need to realize about the Olympics is that its more than just a cavalcade of sports events and phenomenal athletes showcasing the peak of humanity's capabilities. Its a business. From shareholders, to new stadium expenditures, tourist dollars, and so on, even the grand event must succumb to one even greater. The Almighty Dollar. Vancouver is encouraging people to carpool and use public transit during the games to cut down on "human pollution."
So, how much will the city of Vancouver profit from the games? Analysts forecast a lot. Vancouver is notorious for its sky high accommodation and lodging costs to begin with. When you factor in all the tourist influx for the games...Vancouver is expected to reap the fruits of its labor and then some for the 2010 games.
As for ticket pricing, expect them to range from $175-1,100 CAD, depending on the seating arrangement! When you realize that BC Place (the opening and closing ceremonies venue) has a seating capacity of 60,000...that's 10 million dollars generated just for the opening ceremonies! Analysts predict that over 2.5 million people will attend the games. And that doesn't even count the 5,500+ athletes and staff, 10,000 media members, and 25,000 volunteers!
Still, some predict that the 21st winter games will not turn a profit. The operating costs for the games are nearly 1.8 billion dollars. Of that money, nearly 600 million came from taxpayer's. When you think about the recession that is still plaguing the nation that seems kinda rough and unfair. At least the Canadian dollar is worth close to 94 cents U.S... but will that suffice? Only time will tell, but my prediction it that it will turn a profit, albeit a very small one.
So, how much will the city of Vancouver profit from the games? Analysts forecast a lot. Vancouver is notorious for its sky high accommodation and lodging costs to begin with. When you factor in all the tourist influx for the games...Vancouver is expected to reap the fruits of its labor and then some for the 2010 games.
As for ticket pricing, expect them to range from $175-1,100 CAD, depending on the seating arrangement! When you realize that BC Place (the opening and closing ceremonies venue) has a seating capacity of 60,000...that's 10 million dollars generated just for the opening ceremonies! Analysts predict that over 2.5 million people will attend the games. And that doesn't even count the 5,500+ athletes and staff, 10,000 media members, and 25,000 volunteers!
Still, some predict that the 21st winter games will not turn a profit. The operating costs for the games are nearly 1.8 billion dollars. Of that money, nearly 600 million came from taxpayer's. When you think about the recession that is still plaguing the nation that seems kinda rough and unfair. At least the Canadian dollar is worth close to 94 cents U.S... but will that suffice? Only time will tell, but my prediction it that it will turn a profit, albeit a very small one.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Turning Tragedy into Triumph
I have the utmost respect for disabled athletes. Not only are they phenomenal athletes in their own right, but the fact that they have had to overcome great adversity to get to where they are commends respect. I think that the vast majority of people would simply sulk and give-in to their handicap and use it as a crutch for the rest of their lives. These men and women, on the other hand, used their tragedy as an opportunity for excellence, representing their countries with the utmost dignity and pride. And for that, I salute them.
The top 5 countries in Torino were the Russian Federation (33 medals), Ukraine (25), Germany (18), France (15), and Austria (14) respectively.
The top 5 countries in Torino were the Russian Federation (33 medals), Ukraine (25), Germany (18), France (15), and Austria (14) respectively.
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