davethorvald's blog

Torino 2006 Skeleton Gold Medalist athlete Duff Gibson chats with Olympic Outsider host Dave Thorvald about having a beer named after him, life as a Calgary fireman, being Canada's (and the world's) oldest gold medalist, training for technical and speed courses, the Whistler track, athletic challenges and the future of the sport at an Olympic rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery in May 2006.

Download The Duff Man! - Olympic Laughs with the Superhero Skeleton-ist Duff Gibson
(.mp3, 8MB, 9:53)

Doing business in China in advance and following the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, is the topic as Australian businessman Andrew Gilkes, Chairman of ChinaAccess2008, an international business facilitation program, shares tips and best practices for interacting with this rapidly growing economy.

Mr. Gilkes answers host Dave O's questions about the creative arts and science industries, the effect of the Hong Kong handover, educational levels, economic growing pains, environmental remediation, understanding the culture, and diaspora of "sea turtles."

Vancouver BC Place Stadium dome un-flated {Note: Cross posted at GetElastic, Urban Vancouver and Ephemeral Feasthouse}

Note: Photo updated with correct date, apologies for any confusion.

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Vancouver’s noble and venerable stadium BC Place - which opened in 1983 as one of the first self-supporting domes in the world - is the latest casualty of the wildest winter weather ever around here.

As mentioned in a previous post, ... Canada's Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean (a Haitian refuge who immigrated to Quebec as a child), and Vancouver Mayor Mayor Sam Sullivan were on hand - along with a phalanx of officers of everykind - to reveal the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympic flag.

I headed out from North Vancouver via transit to attend and watch the pagaentry. After stealthing into the media event, I asked VANOC CEO John Furlong a few questions on a snowy Vancouver morning.

Listen to Olympic Outsider #7 (.m4a)

Canada's Governor General Michaëlle Jean (a Haitian refuge who immigrated to Quebec as a child) and Mayor Sam Sullivan (suddenly, the world's second most famous quadrapelegic) were on hand with a phalanx of officers of everykind to reveal the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympic flag.

I've noticed various errors and ommissions by the big-time media during the Winter Olympics (nowhere near as many as i make of course but ...).  Didn't screen caputre ESPN listing Jeremy Wotherspoon as USA but did catch CBC recalling Saku Koivu's days playing for the Czechs (attached .pdf).

Host Dave Thorvald with Dan Funboy wrap up the Men's and Women's hockey tournaments from Torino 2006 in this enhanced podcast with pictures. 

Topics include team leadership, puck possession, tactical strategies, tournament surprise teams, and a bit of looking ahead to 2010.

Grab thew show:
Olympic Outsider Episode 6 - Hockey Tournament Wrap-up  (m4a)
Olympic Outsider Episode 6 - Hockey Tournament Wrap-up  (mp3)

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Olympic Outsider Episode 5 - Wrapping Up XX Part 1 

Host Dave Thorvald with Dan Funboy and buddy Lance wrap up the performances of Torino 2006 with emphasis on Team Canada's athletes.

Topics include notable Men's and Women's performances in Luge, Skeleton, Bobsled, Curling, Short-Track Speedskating, Long-track Speedskating, Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Biathlon, Freestyle Skiing, and Snowboarding.  Plus banter on doping measures, police raids, sportsmanship, new sports, and herbal remedies.

This 38:18 long podcast is enhanced with 'chapters' for your listening convenience. 

Grab thew show:
Olympic Outsider Episode 5 - Wrapping Up XX Part 1  (m4a)
Olympic Outsider Episode 5 - Wrapping Up XX Part 1  (mp3)

That was a painful segment promoting Vancouver.  C'mon organizers, that was puzzling, weak, uninteresting and unfocused.  Giant fake snow blocks making a stone monument ... huh?  We can do better! 

and Avril!  What happened to the cool punky chick?  What's with the Farrah Fawcett hair and froofy look?  Looks like the 3rd Olsen twin.  Get the handlers away from her!  Should have got a BC artist (like DOA but not Bryan Adams) or even Barenaked Ladies (they were classic at SLC).  Sam did all right though.

Overall, Ugh.  Embarrassing.  Vancouver is so much cooler then they showed and this is B.C.'s games, not 'Canada's' per se.  Let BC show off, no reason to include shots of Toronto in the cheesy montage.

VANOC clearly needs some folks with artistic sensibilities on staff.  Comments?

What was up with the security breach with the t-shirted guy running upon stage during the Torino Organizing Committes' President's speech?  Anyone catch what he said or what was on his t-shirt?  Any other security/protest issues of note on the ground?