OT: The Off-Topic Thread XX: La fiesta española

[Ace Rimmer]

Ways for politicians to back peddle out of this:

1. The plebiscite was non-binding.
2. Condition of funding was to have a plebiscite.
3. While it was a majority no vote, it wasn't a clear majority.
4. Aliens

 

[super6646]

Ways for politicians to back peddle out of this:

1. The plebiscite was non-binding.
2. Condition of funding was to have a plebiscite.

Nenshi is f***ed if that happens. Anyway, based off of his words, the bid is dead.

 

[Rubi]

I didn't vote as I can't as I live in Okotoks. However if I could have I would have voted no. Even though I don't live in Calgary my tax dollars (Federal and Provincial) still would have gone into the Olympics if Calgary had proceeded with the bid and if Calgary's bid was successful.

As an aside, no may not mean no. I saw an interview tonight where the yes side and the no side were represented and the yes side (Jason Ribeiro) said that if they were unsuccessful they still may proceed but with a different bid proposal than the one voted on today. They could possibly interpret the plebiscite as a no to this particular proposal and there is a possibility that they may try again with a different bid proposal.

Note: Some people/groups have a lot of money invested in this and they may not want to give up so easily.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Ways for politicians to back peddle out of this:

1. The plebiscite was non-binding.
2. Condition of funding was to have a plebiscite.
3. While it was a majority no vote, it wasn't a clear majority.

I dunno, I have to think it’s probably dead at this point. Pressing forward now dooms their re-election chances I think. I voted yes but I’d be pissed if they don’t follow the constitutuant mandate now.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

This would have never happened with Bill Smith.

 

[RedHot]

I would have selfishly voted yes if they included an arena.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I would have selfishly voted yes if they included an arena.

I voted yes, reluctantly, thinking they needed to spend more on legacy projects that could be enjoyed by and/or benefit a regular Calgarian.

New arena was part of that - CalgaryNext to be exact. Not necessarily for the arena but for the pollution cleanup.

 

[Rubi]

I voted yes, reluctantly, thinking they needed to spend more on legacy projects that could be enjoyed by and/or benefit a regular Calgarian.

New arena was part of that - CalgaryNext to be exact. Not necessarily for the arena but for the pollution cleanup.

What new arena? I assume you aren't referring to the 5000 seat arena that was mentioned in the bid plans. As far as I know there were no plans for a new Olympic/NHL size arena... just a refurbishment of the 35 year old Saddledome.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

What new arena? I assume you aren't referring to the 5000 seat arena that was mentioned in the bid plans. As far as I know there were no plans for a new Olympic/NHL size arena... just a refurbishment of the 35 year old Saddledome.

Yeah. Maybe try and read / comprehend my post before replying.

The plan on the table did not spend enough, which in my mind includes a new arena/Calgary Next.

 

[Rubi]

Yeah. Maybe try and read / comprehend my post before replying.

The plan on the table did not spend enough, which in my mind includes a new arena/Calgary Next.

Then why the hell did you vote Yes if the plan didn't include what you wanted? Did you think that by voting yes the tooth fairy would include a new arena in he Olympic plans at some later date somewhere down the road?
That's ridiculous. I'm glad the majority of Calgarians have more sense than you.

Oh, and CalgaryNext is a stupid plan that primarily only benefits CSEC.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Then why the hell did you vote Yes if the plan didn't include what you wanted? Did you think that by voting yes the tooth fairy would include a new arena in he Olympic plans at some later date somewhere down the road?
That's ridiculous. I'm glad the majority of Calgarians have more sense than you.

Oh, and CalgaryNext is a stupid plan that primarily only benefits CSEC.

Sigh. Are you being purposely obtuse?

The plan still included projects that would have benefits for the community as a whole. Affordable housing being one of them - something that Calgary gets to now pay full price for. Another being needed recreational facilities (field house, community arena) which, not ideal, are still better than nothing. Calgary gets to pay full price for those facilities now, about $986 million in today's dollars, instead of the $370 million investment in the Olympics.

Even if there was a cost overrun of $500 million, and Calgary bore it all, the City still comes out ahead. Math is pretty easy there.

Also, my support on Calgary Next was predicated on cleanup of the pollution in the West Village - another part of my post you conveniently ignored.

 

[Rubi]

Sigh. Are you being purposely obtuse?

The plan still included projects that would have benefits for the community as a whole. Affordable housing being one of them - something that Calgary gets to now pay full price for. Another being needed recreational facilities (field house, community arena) which, not ideal, are still better than nothing. Calgary gets to pay full price for those facilities now, about $986 million in today's dollars, instead of the $370 million investment in the Olympics.

Even if there was a cost overrun of $500 million, and Calgary bore it all, the City still comes out ahead. Math is pretty easy there.

Also, my support on Calgary Next was predicated on cleanup of the pollution in the West Village - another part of my post you conveniently ignored.

You make it sound like all that money is in a pot somewhere just waiting for someone to spend it. Its not. It comes from taxpayers. The city and the province are in pretty rough shape economically given the state of the oil patch. Now is not the time to be spending $390 million of the city's tax revenue and $700 million of the province's tax revenue. Thats $1.1 BILLION.... and that's not including any cost overruns (AND THERE'S ALWAYS OVERRUNS ASSOCIATED WITH HOSTING THE OLYMPICS). Using your $500 million overrun the Calgary/Alberta taxpayer is now on the hook for $1.6 BILLION. Alberta's projected debt for 2019-2020 is $71 BILLION. We should be trying to decrease the debt... not increase it.
Is that simple enough for you or am I still being too obtuse?

 

[Ace Rimmer]

You make it sound like all that money is in a pot somewhere just waiting for someone to spend it. Its not. It comes from taxpayers. The city and the province are in pretty rough shape economically given the state of the oil patch. Now is not the time to be spending $390 million of the city's tax revenue and $700 million of the province's tax revenue. Thats $1.1 BILLION.... and that's not including any cost overruns (AND THERE'S ALWAYS OVERRUNS ASSOCIATED WITH HOSTING THE OLYMPICS). Using your $500 million overrun the Calgary/Alberta taxpayer is now on the hook for $1.6 BILLION. Alberta's projected debt for 2019-2020 is $71 BILLION. We should be trying to decrease the debt... not increase it.
Is that simple enough for you or am I still being too obtuse?

Yes. Intentionally so.

Do the math. (Of course, you won't because it won't fit your narrative)

 

[Rubi]

Yes. Intentionally so.

Do the math. (Of course, you won't because it won't fit your narrative)

You're like the wife who's racked up $20,000 in credit card debt who comes home after spending another $1000 on shoes and purses and tells her husband that it was a great deal because normally they would have cost $3000.... so she actually saved them $2000. Sorry, that pig don't fly... and a vote of 56.4% proves it doesn't. Get over it. Your side lost.

 

[Fig]

You're like the wife who's racked up $20,000 in credit card debt who comes home after spending another $1000 on shoes and purses and tells her husband that it was a great deal because normally they would have cost $3000.... so she actually saved them $2000. Sorry, that pig don't fly... and a vote of 56.4% proves it doesn't. Get over it. Your side lost.

Why does it have to be an us vs them situation? We are all Calgarians at the end of the day. We may differ in how we see/approach the future but fundamentally we all want the best for the city.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Why does it have to be an us vs them situation? We are all Calgarians at the end of the day. We may differ in how we see/approach the future but fundamentally we all want the best for the city.

Only one person has mentioned sides, as far as I know, but you’re absolutely right. Unfortunately tribalism trumps the ability to entertain new ideas, from time to time.

 

[Rubi]

Sometimes new ideas are just recycled old ideas. A lot of people thought that in 1981 when Calgary was awarded the games that it made sense. Calgary was a city with a population of 600,000 and growing very quickly, the economy was booming, and the city wanted to be a player on the world stage. Not so much in 2018. The current Calgary population is 1.2 million, we are well known in the world, and the economy is significantly depressed with an unemployment rate of 8.2% (as compared to an unemployment rate of 3.2% in 1981). Hosting the Olympics every 38 years is not a sound economic plan for Calgary and Calgarians.

Anyways, enough of that. The vote has been held and the citizens of Calgary have spoken.

Lets talk about possible positives... Maybe this rejection by Calgary will initiate change in the IOC and the IOC's bid process... both of which are significantly flawed and some could even argue corrupt. Time and time again in recent years, governments (with the exception of totalitarian states) and their citizens are declining to host the Olympics, primarily for financial reasons as they find the cost/benefit ratio just doesn't make sense. Cities take most of the financial risk and the IOC gets most of the financial benefit. This has to change.

The only official bids left in the running are Italy and Sweden and from what I've read neither the governments or the citizens of those countries are very enthusiastic about proceeding forward with the bid process.
I did read somewhere that Salt Lake City, Utah, the 2002 Winter Olympic host, would be willing to host the Olympics in 2026 if asked by the IOC. Their facilities are only 16 years old and its been reported that not a lot of changes or upgrades would be necessary to host the 2026 Olympics.

I've also heard of the possibility of permanent Olympic Games locations being established, both for the Summer and Winter Olympics in order to alleviate the enormous cost of the games. I'm not sure if these possibilities are being floated by the IOC or they are coming from elsewhere. I suspect the IOC won't change until the cow is milked completely dry and they're forced to change their modus operandi.

 

[Rubi]

Wow.. this is a twist I wasn't expecting to this story.

 

[JPeeper]

Iron Maiden tickets went on sale a minute ago and as soon as the link became available I clicked it, literally the second it opened and I am already the 500th person in line waiting to buy tickets. f*** man.

Only want 1 ticket too.

Jesus, ticket is $89 (fine with ) and fees are $20.50. f*** you ticketmaster.

Amazing, I secured a decent seat, tried to buy it and Ticketmaster made me update my password which lost my seat and now the site won't reload. Finally reload and my seat is obviously gone and I have to settle for one slightly worse (IMO).

Eat my asshole ticketmaster.

 

[Rubi]

Iron Maiden tickets went on sale a minute ago and as soon as the link became available I clicked it, literally the second it opened and I am already the 500th person in line waiting to buy tickets. **** man.

Only want 1 ticket too.

Jesus, ticket is $89 (fine with ) and fees are $20.50. **** you ticketmaster.

Amazing, I secured a decent seat, tried to buy it and Ticketmaster made me update my password which lost my seat and now the site won't reload. Finally reload and my seat is obviously gone and I have to settle for one slightly worse (IMO).

Eat my ******* ticketmaster.

Its a rigged game. And Ticketmaster is complicit in the rigging.

 

[Kahvi]

I just came to my cottage, a nice 3day weekend ahead. This place has been empty for a week now as my mother is abroad so it's a little cold inside. But some good, dry firewood and rum will help with that

 

[Ace Rimmer]

We don't discuss users or their personal situations. Please refrain from doing so.

 

[Kahvi]

Too bad I dont have a proper camera. There's absolutely beatiful full moon shining over the lake right now, I took couple of photos with my iPhone but it's mostly just dark

 

[SKRusty]

Another Calgary hero gone.

News of his death immediately reminded me of the campy fun.



RIP with Ed

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Ah damn, that’s so sad. RIP.