2012 Olympics (London)

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Interesting that the winter games will be held in a summer resort. However, anything that improves the infrastructure has got to be better than not doing it.

[Meg 368]

Not necessarily. It's not good to have lots of luxury hotel rooms at a place where no one is going.

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Not necessarily. It's not good to have lots of luxury hotel rooms at a place where no one is going.

I wouldn't exactly place Sochi under that category though, considering that it's growing pretty fast in population (a leap from the 2002 census which counted 328,809 people to 343,285 in 2010; at that rate, we could reach 350k by the time of the Olympics) and is very popular with tourists (especially) during the summer, and also has some pretty decent winter sports facilities in the bordering Caucasus Mountains - which include the tallest mountain in Europe, Mount Elbrus.

We're also scheduled to be one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so that's another bonus.

  Edited August 15, 2012 by emperordaniel  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Overall, developing Sochi's tourist accommodations beats the daylights out of restricted access to Soviet Leadership dachas. After the Olympics there should be an attractive area something like Vancouver-Whistler. By the way, how does Krasnays Polyana(spelling? did I get that right?) translate? Red ...?

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Translated, Krasnaya Polyana means "Beautiful Glade". During the Tsarist era and before, "krasnaya" could also mean "beautiful"; however, that usage is extremely rare today, being almost entirely replaced by its modern usage for the color red. Red Square in Moscow was originally titled "Beautiful Square" (Krasnaya Ploschad).

[Meg 368]

Not necessarily. It's not good to have lots of luxury hotel rooms at a place where no one is going.

I wouldn't exactly place Sochi under that category though, considering that it's growing pretty fast in population (a leap from the 2002 census which counted 328,809 people to 343,285 in 2010; at that rate, we could reach 350k by the time of the Olympics) and is very popular with tourists (especially) during the summer, and also has some pretty decent winter sports facilities in the bordering Caucasus Mountains - which include the tallest mountain in Europe, Mount Elbrus.

We're also scheduled to be one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so that's another bonus.

History isn't on your side here; most former Olympic venues are in tatters. But I hope it works out. It sounds like it will be a very nice place.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Translated, Krasnaya Polyana means "Beautiful Glade". During the Tsarist era and before, "krasnaya" could also mean "beautiful"; however, that usage is extremely rare today, being almost entirely replaced by its modern usage for the color red. Red Square in Moscow was originally titled "Beautiful Square" (Krasnaya Ploschad).

This is a good example of why traditional usages should be kept around. I assume that it was the communist regime that changed the traditional usage. It is a shame, especially with a beautiful, declined language such as Russian.

[Haljackey 17,403]

Article form Forbes stating that E-sports (video games) could be an Olympic sport by 2020.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngaudiosi/2012/08/15/league-of-legends-and-starcraft-ii-could-become-olympic-sports-as-early-as-2020-summer-games/

I'm all for this, but I predict South Korea winning every medal.

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Article form Forbes stating that E-sports (video games) could be an Olympic sport by 2020.

http://www.forbes.co...0-summer-games/

I'm all for this, but I predict South Korea winning every medal.

I wonder if there would ever be a city-building competition in the Games...

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

^^ & ^

Higher? Stronger? Faster?

[Easy Bakes 253]

Fastest to 100k population with no lots, no debt, and the highest Sim education,pollution ect..

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

One reason why the Scots may feel alienated by our National Anthem

http://www.education...scots/index.asp

Looks like a SNP website to me (very anti-english). When I was younger the National Athem had 3 verses but verse 2 was not sung, last time I looked it had grown to 6 verses.

Of course the Queen is also queen of Scotland through James 6th (James 1st of England) and she is Elizabeth 1st of Scotland.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Well, James' side was the winner of the Scottish conflict between the Stuarts and the MacDonalds (Lords of the Isles), and there is no question that the English throne is the successor. That's pretty clear.

Now, if Scotland wants independence, I see no real barrier, but what do they expect to get out of it? Will they try to create a republic, or stick with Elizabeth I through a Governor General and simply reinstate the Scottish Parliament? They'd just have to repeal the Act of Union.

Elizabeth Windsor happens to be Elizabeth I of Canada as well, but we don't push it. E II R is fine with us. It is only symbolic, after all, and not worth much of a fuss.

And it is surely not worth all the angst of digging up old, discontinued verses of the anthem. Stick to Flowers of Scotland and forget all the nonsense that dates back to Edward I. A lot of water has flowed down the lochs since then. The Scots have always been pretty progressive, so why all the medievalism now? Next we'll be hearing 'Scots wa' hae'.

[Haljackey 17,403]

I found this to be enjoyable. You will watch more than you planned on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTUZwQ3cdVw

Paralympics start soon!