OT: Sochi must be Russian for "FUBAR" (Updated 2/6)
Two days to the start of the 2014 winter olympics and it seems the Russians aren't quite ready for their guests to arrive. The media began to arrive today and found non-function toilets & water, hotel rooms unfinished and littered with stray dogs & cats and a breakfast buffet one could only describe as "interesting" to say the least. They have begun tweeting pictures and descriptions of the city and I'm pretty sure this isn't what Putin had in minds when he got the games.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2552200/Welcome-Sochi-Journalis…
UPDATE: Looks like they are now running out of pillows:
"Due to an extreme shortage of pillows for athletes who unexpectedly arrived to Olympic Village in the mountains, there will be a transfer of pillows from all apartments to the storehouse on 2 February 2014.:
Apparently they didnt expect the athletes to arrive in the Olympic Village.
February 5th, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
There must be something about large sporting organizations that seem to be a magnet for greed, fraud and corruption - IOC, FIFA, FIDE (world chess federation) are the premier league, then comes many of the bowl organization committees, the alphabet soup boxing organizations and the NCAA.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 8:26 PM ^
As an American of Polish descent, watching Russia and their airs falling flat on their face is, well, gratifying. I feel poorly for the dignitaries and athletes, but that's life on the frozen steppe.
February 5th, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^
I love the olympics, but it's such a joke. Bribes to win the bid, shady companies enriching themselves during the build with huge government contracts, inhumane conditions for workers, money diverted from where it may actually help people to build stadiums that will be rotting in a year, etc.
It's sad.
February 5th, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
and he repeats his stupid phrase about 75% more often than he should, but between that, and everything else coming out of sochi, this olympics is going to be very, very interesting.
February 5th, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
and while none of us are wanting drama...who isn't waiting for the first bomb to go off??? hell every television station that sent reporters is prepared to cover a tragedy.
fucking russia
February 5th, 2014 at 8:43 PM ^
Betting those urinals wouldn't stay clean very long in Columbus...
February 5th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 8:49 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^
SatFeb 15
51°
40°
Few Showers
- CHANCE OF RAIN:
- 30%
- WIND:
- NE at 7 mph
February 5th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^
This is typical weather for Sochi. They put the Winter Olympics in the one city in Russia that doesn't get cold. Go figure. (Though Vancouver isn't all that cold either, to be fair.)
February 5th, 2014 at 9:29 PM ^
But, to be fair, Vancouver has 7000' peaks 25 minutes away that are very covered snow at this time of year, every year.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^
I think that is also true for Sochi - the Caucasus Mountains aren't too far away. But it just doesn't feel right to have the Winter Olympics in cities that really aren't into winter sports. They used to be in actual ski resort towns like Lillehammer and Albertville. Now the standard has been lowered to "Somewhere vaguely near tall mountains."
February 5th, 2014 at 10:19 PM ^
And we have Super Bowls in New Jersey in February.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:35 PM ^
They are supplementing with artificial snow, there isn't enough there for winter sports. It's a farce.
February 5th, 2014 at 11:45 PM ^
as a precaution, but apparently it won't be needed.
February 6th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
I'd like to see where you read that. All reports I've read (the most recent was published yesterday) say they are for sure supplementing with artificial snow.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
I basically agree with this, with the small caveat that for whatever reason, I associate Canada (even, and maybe especially, Vancouver because of its proximity to the largest ski area in the world at Whistler-Blackcomb) much more with winter sports than a sub-tropical resort city. Nobody has ever accused Vancouver of fitting that bill.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:00 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 9:04 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 9:03 AM ^
Moose! Sieve! Moose! Sieve! Moose! Sieve! Moose! Sieve!........
February 5th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
Russia is one of the most corrupt nations in the world, and Sochi sounds like it's going to be a completely and utter failure. $50B went strait into the pockets of the corrupt Russian oligarchs -- pathetic. How anyone thought this was going to be a good idea is beyond me. The IOC is a total joke.
If the Sochi failure isn't going to be enough, tune into the World Cup in Brazil for a second dose of abject failure on an international scale.
The whole thing is a complete waste of time, money, and respources IMO.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
If you're Putin, people have to "pay" for this...right? You are being made to look like an idiot while the whole world is watching...TBD
February 5th, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^
He's a smart guy, but he's pretty power-blind. He has Russia entirely under his heel, and it shows. This is sloppy, but I don't know how much he cares. He'll own Russia until the day he steps down or dies, and it's not like this is going to change world opinion of him. Either you love him (which is weird), hate him or are scared of him.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:37 PM ^
This is his babby. He wants to look good. Powerful, in control.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 9:38 PM ^
Russia has only recently declared beer an alcoholic beverage. Until now, children could freely buy/drink it at any time, even during school.
Definitely an interesting place.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:34 PM ^
As someone who lived for three years on the Russian border in Mongolia (essentially Asian Russia with more horses) and traveled extensively in Russia I find this all quite fitting. That is Russia Comrade! If the IOC was expecting something different they are fucking idiots. No amount of money thrown at this situation would have resulted in a different outcome. Outside of the obvious terrorist threat my primary concern is a food borne illness outbreak in the Olympic Village and/or accidents like collapsing bleacers, some poor sucker getting electrocuted while plugging in his computer, or a part of a hastily constructed building collapsing. At least a few of the gold medals have pieces of meteorite in them: http://gizmodo.com/some-olympics-gold-medalists-will-get-russias-meteorit-918000563
February 5th, 2014 at 9:44 PM ^
So it's more SNAFU than FUBAR.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
SNAFUBAR
February 5th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
I'm not sure about that, but BOHICA probably applies.
February 5th, 2014 at 11:14 PM ^
Sadly, that is right. You break leg in uncovered manhole on unlit street at night...tough shitski. I'm betting there will be lots of Spartan Bob (Ivan) type shenanigans as well. Gotta beef up the host county medal count and if the inoperable toilets or 3 day old borscht won't do it a "faulty" timer will. I love me some Olympics but I am not really looking forward to these as much.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:14 PM ^
During a visit to mother Russia 7 years ago our expensive tour bus broke down. Eventually another bus came to get us.
Two days later we passed the first disabled bus. It was in the same location and the driver was still in the bus. Our tour guide (Russian) told us, "Of course he must stay with the bus. If he leaves, the bus will be stripped to the chasis in less than an hour."
Don't get me started on our "5*" hotel.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:53 PM ^
How did you watch Michigan football games on the Russian border in Mongolia? I don't think there is a Michigan-friendly sports-bar in the area. Maybe I'll check the Useful Stuff link above for verification.
February 5th, 2014 at 11:32 PM ^
I missed two full seasons but got the final scores on my short wave radio on Voice of America. Aside from two cases of explosive dysentary it was the worst part of the experience. My folks sent me VHS copies of key games and the bowl games. By the time I got them it was March or so but it wasn't like my neighbor was going to tell me the score. There are no Michigan or white foreign person friendly bars for that matter in the town I lived in. Any trip to the bar was guaranteed to turn into a fight with a drunk Mongol, kinda like Columbus with more sheep.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:49 PM ^
So what are the odds NBC actually mentions any of the problems in an Olympic telecast?
February 5th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^
If one of the talking heads is inconvenienced like these beat writers? Almost 100%
If they get the preferential treatment reserved for VIPs? 0
February 5th, 2014 at 10:17 PM ^
NBC's Today Show actually showed some of the problems this morning. Of course, they did that from the comforts, and protection, of their NYC studio.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Sochi is hosting World Cup matches in 2018 as well. Maybe by then everything will be finally done.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:33 AM ^
How many more billion are they spending on that?
February 6th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
WHY!!!?
Where is the next one going to be? North Korea? Iraq? What are these committees thinking?
"We have so many great choices around the world to put these events on. Where should we go? OH YOU KNOW WHAT IS A GOOD IDEA!? Let's go to the most oppressive country you can think of!"
(these guys are old as shit, so they still think Russia is the USSR)
February 6th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
Not sure if you're entirely serious about the next one, but Qatar. Which is in the running for "almost as bad as the two countries above."
February 5th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^
Remember all of the jokes made about those yokels in Utah? Mitt Romney & the Mormons look pretty darned good right now.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 10:34 PM ^
First event starts in less than 3 hours. Let's all just hope that Sochi being a complete joke of a host is the worst thing that happens over the next two weeks.
February 5th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
the first time I went to the Frankfurt Autoshow in 1981. The public urinal was a step up to a 30 foot long wall with strategically placed water nozzles that would occasionally spray the wall. The water and urine would then flow down a trench at the foot of the wall. Then, just to make things a bit more interesting, the Putzfrau and a young girl of 13 or so would just stroll in from time to time to mop down the floor.
So I'm saying, maybe they haven't yet figured out how to plumb urinals.