Olympics

There's a collective feeling that bringing the Olympics here was a big mistake. A corporate orgy, a bankrupt city. A Coke-a-cola truck leading the torch across the country with it's bass turned high. No snow, tragedy, the bad design of sledding track, rain, mud. One billion dollars in security alone. Six billion dollar bill that we'll have to pay $4000 each to settle up. But, i have to say, those opening ceremonies were beautiful, inspired, and I felt proud of how we as a country were being represented.

Yes there are the political questions of our tendency to prop up our native cultures for international consumption when we need to look like a diverse nation, but then once the revelry is done, implementing policies that might not be the best for first-nations people. But, still, it was gorgeous and inclusive, and not only did we have a slam poet wrap up the cultural event, we had freak'n punk fiddlers. The prairie segment embodied that particular feeling of being on the plains beautifully.We were reminded why kd lang, who borrowed her suite from David Byrne, rocks. Yes, there was the awkward moment of Gretzky waiting for the sliding doors to open as he help the torch, only to get into a pick up truck and be chased by random dudes. And, yes, one of our props had erectile disfunction. But you have to be pretty cynical not to be at least partially impressed by what they accomplished last night.

Here are my pics from last night revelries... and here's my favorite coverage so far - Brian Lynch is telling it as he sees it, but keeping his mind open.