Skicross and snowboardcross are fantastic sports! They look suuuper fun, definitely invented by a generation brought up on video games...
Anyway, I feel like I should put in a differing opinion from a local here as my experience has definitely differed somewhat from connect_icut's above. Short form of it is that, though the build-up to the olympics has been quite interminable, and it's as sickening a combination of corporate greed and ugly patriotism as you could expect--fortunately it is still an outstanding sporting event. Downtown, at the sporting events, and in the various national pavilions the atmosphere is fantastic. Everyone is super friendly. Downtown is packed with people at all hours cheering for every event and every country. You have the chance to attend crazy sporting events that you would never be able to otherwise (if you can afford it). Going to the various national pavilions and partying with random foreigners while cheering on their athletes is hilarious fun.
It's almost impressive really, that despite all the corporate bullshit and security-state nonsense people have still somehow managed to make this into a great celebration. I am actually surprised by how much I have been enjoying myself this past week--I wasn't expecting it to be this fun.
Has all the suffering, the waste and greed been worth it for a two week party plus a few odd added benefits (new subway line to the airport, couple other things)? Probably not. The really ugly part of the olympics is how the business side of it has come to totally dominate the sporting side of it. My favorite anecdote currently being the fact that all olympic venues are forbidden from selling "hamburgers" and "french fries" because McDonald's (the official "restaurant" of the olympics) has purchased the exclusive rights to sell hamburgers and fries at olympic venues. Of course many far worse things have happened too, on the social level and financially. Basically everything Vanoc (vancouver olympic organizing comittee) has gotten their greasy mitts on has been fucked on some level, but miraculously they still haven't managed to fuck up the whole thing for all the athletes and fans.
Lastly, connect_icut, please spare me the patronizing "blinkered view that most Vancouver residents maintain" bullshit. You mean the same vancouver residents 83% of which
"believe the Games are planned to benefit elite members of society" and 60% of which think the olympics was a "waste of money that could be used for more important things."??? What a bunch of sheeple!
Alright, almost time for Canada-US hockey game!