The Off Topic Topic

[Eddie Teach]

He's a talented actor. But Hephaestus is a much nobler character than Tuco.

[Jaron]

Geez, is Malthus' 9 year old...Carl? Or was that BBs? I think it was Malthus' kid but no way could he possibly be 9.

[Barrister]

Geez, is Malthus' 9 year old...Carl? Or was that BBs? I think it was Malthus' kid but no way could he possibly be 9.

Yup Carl.  My oldest is Timmy, and I find it hard to believe he's closing in on 5.

Mind you I remember meeting Carl about 6 years ago when he was three - hard to imagine that little bundle of energy is now nine, though I know that's how it works...

[Syt]

So it seems very likely that the 2022 Winter Games will go to Beijing, unless Almaty pulls a surprise victory. The indoor events would be in Beijing, the outdoor stuff in Zhangjiakou, known for very dry winters, so it would mostly likely be events on artificial snow. The mountain for the alpine events barely meets the minimum requirements, and the area for the Nordic competitions has been described as "less than challenging."

Additionally, highways and high speed trains will be built between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, meaning relocation of villages, new bridges, tunnels etc. These costs are not part of Beijing's Olympic budget.

Sounds like another Olympic Games that can be safely ignored. It's going to be a crap couple of years for these types of events.

[Tamas]

So it seems very likely that the 2022 Winter Games will go to Beijing, unless Almaty pulls a surprise victory. The indoor events would be in Beijing, the outdoor stuff in Zhangjiakou, known for very dry winters, so it would mostly likely be events on artificial snow. The mountain for the alpine events barely meets the minimum requirements, and the area for the Nordic competitions has been described as "less than challenging."

Additionally, highways and high speed trains will be built between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, meaning relocation of villages, new bridges, tunnels etc. These costs are not part of Beijing's Olympic budget.

Sounds like another Olympic Games that can be safely ignored. It's going to be a crap couple of years for these types of events.

For you, maybe. But for the guys handing out the right to host, those who select the companies to do the infrastructure work lavishly overpriced, and those companies who then subcontract it away for much cheaper, well, they will have plenty of fun.

[alfred russel]

unless Almaty pulls a surprise victory.

Please let this happen. 

Sounds like another Olympic Games that can be safely ignored. It's going to be a crap couple of years for these types of events.

To each his own, but despite the corruption of silliness of the Olympic governing body, the competitions are still awesome, wherever they are held.

[Syt]

But still, "normal" countries are barely interested in hosting these things anymore:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Winter_Olympics

Krakow:

Kraków's bid was submitted to a local referendum held on 25 May 2014, which had a negative result. After that Krakow discontinued the application on 26 May 2014.

Oslo:

On 1 October 2014 the Conservative Party decided that they would not support a bid for the games because, as reported in the newspaper Verdens Gang, they were offended by "These insane demands that [IOC] should be treated like the king of Saudi Arabia".[21] The city of Oslo decided to immediately terminate further work on the application.

Stockholm:

but on 17 January 2014, Stockholm dropped the bid due to lack of political support.

Munich also considered a bid, but it was smacked down in a referendum.

[Grey Fox]

Geez, is Malthus' 9 year old...Carl? Or was that BBs? I think it was Malthus' kid but no way could he possibly be 9.

Yup Carl.  My oldest is Timmy, and I find it hard to believe he's closing in on 5.

Mind you I remember meeting Carl about 6 years ago when he was three - hard to imagine that little bundle of energy is now nine, though I know that's how it works...

Time motherfucking flies, don't it?

[alfred russel]

But still, "normal" countries are barely interested in hosting these things anymore:

Which I totally understand. I think the Olympics are awesome, but it is insane to build a bunch of world class facilities that will have limited future use for a two week event.

[Syt]

[lustindarkness]

[Grinning_Colossus]

Oh man, I just well and truly bombed my University of Chicago interview. I mean really bombed.

Stumbled, stuttered, repeated myself, sounded like an idiot, Skype went out twice. Ugh. 

[Caliga]

[Liep]

[Zanza]