The city of Sochi is a BEACH resort. It has PALM TREES. What kind of maniac would decide to hold the WINTER OLYMPICS in such a place? Only a Russian could conceive of such a notion. This madness must end now.
The Glorious Russian Flag!
Welcome to La Russophobe
You may e-mail La Russophobe with comments or submissions for publication consideration at larussophobe@yahoo.com. Congratulations, you are now reading the best Russia politics bloggers in the world! Our press: "Essential." -- Blogwatch "Ferocious." -- Peter Finn, Washington Post "Notorious." -- The Moscow Times Our creed: You don't really know Russia unless you read La Russophobe! Our motto: Russia is the best country in the world . . . except for all the others. Our slogan: "Что-то типа Новой Газеты на английском языке." (Translation: Something like Novaya Gazeta, but in English). NOTICE: This blog quotes from source material, and links to it. When a post contains quotes and original material, the quotes are in ordinary print and the original in boldface. See "About LR" in the title bar for copyright notice.Supporting La Russophobe
La Russophobe does not solicit or accept financial support from any source. If you would like to show your support for LR and your opposition to the rise of dictatorship in Russia, the easiest way is to create a Digg or StumbleUpon or Delicious account and use it to favorite some of our posts. LR also welcomes your e-mail comments and submissions for publication, and we urge you to support the effort to boycott of the Sochi Olympics.Feed La Russophobe!
Click here to feed La RussophobeRussia’s Invasion of Georgia: The Truth
Click here to read the shocking truth about Russia's war in Georgia, including a complete chronology.
Click here or here to learn more about boycotting the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games to protest Russian aggression in Georgia.
Remembering Natalia Estemirova
Click here to honor the memory of Natalia's daughter Lana by making a contribution to her education fund, established by the Memorial human rights organization.Categories
Search our Archives
Archives by Month
Blog Stats (add 300,000 from Blogger)
- 3,105,789 visits
-
Recent Posts
- La Russophobe’s New Blog is now Live
- La Russophobe is now on Facebook and Twitter
- September 30, 2011 — Contents
- EDITORIAL: We Told you So
- EDITORIAL: Estonia Whips Russian Butt
- EDITORIAL: The Russian Economy is Collapsing
- Viking Russia, Land of Barbarians
- Andrei Zubov, Russophobe
- Kara-Murza on Putin’s Return
- CARTOON: Yelkin on Putin’s Return
- SPECIAL EXTRA EDITORIAL: Putin, President for Life
- September 23, 2011 — Contents
- EDITORIAL: Prokhorov in the Woodshed
- EDITORIAL: Drunken Russian Killers
- EDITORIAL: Does Britain still Remember Chamberlain?
Recent Comments
Pages
Tag Cloud
boris nemtsov chechnya china cold war dave essel dmitry medvedev economics editorial ellustrator essel gazprom georgia iran KGB khodorkovsky kozlovsky latynina maria sharapova medvedev Mikhail Khodorkovsky Moscow nemtsov novaya gazeta obama oleg kozlovsky paul goble Politkovskaya putin ramzan kadyrov russia russian economy russian stock market russophiles Sergei Magnitsky sharapova sochi Soviet Union stalin tennis ukraine Vera Zvonareva vladimir putin vladimir ryzhkov yulia latynina Yury LuzhkovCategory Cloud
chechnya cold war II contents corruption economics editorial elections georgia halls of power history hypocrisy iron curtain journalism litvinenko militarism murders neo-soviet crackdown neo-soviet failure opposition groups rating russia rhetoric russia russian people russophiles social services sports sunday photos translations Uncategorized weaponizing energyLa Russotwitter
- @deiniolofthetwo Could be. But that would make them truly evil in a Nixonian manner. 4 hours ago
- @Alexey__Kovalev @lukeharding1968 The problem is that Russia lost by more than 100 points. 8 hours ago
- @niktwick @Mairbek_France Becahse he hates France, duh. What's amazing is that his new home Russian "cuisine" is nowhere on his list. 8 hours ago
- New Russian Olympic sport announced: throwing donuts into mouth while prone. vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/socie… 8 hours ago
- @tsparrow5000 It also helps him justify his policy in Syria, where he claims his is helping regime fight Chechen terrorists. 9 hours ago
LR’s Feed
LR’s Google Page Rank
Very few English-language Russia blogs in the world have a higher Google page rank than La Russophobe.
How about IOC who chosen Sochi, are they all maniacs?! There are mountains with snow near Sochi. Saraevo is nearly the same latitude, and its OGs were fine.
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
If you read our blog more carefully, you know that we have strongly criticized the IOC. Ever heard of bribery, idiot?
Sorry if you can’t understand, but most normal people who attend the WINTER Olympics want to hang out IN A WINTER ENVIRONMENT, not with sand and palm trees. Ever heard of a little thing called ambiance? D’oh! They have a thing called the SUMMER Olympics for that, you may have heard of it.
Beside, Sochi is a ridiculously boring little town if you’re not going to the beach, which sucks by the way. It’s one of the worst possible places to hold the games.
Archi is right. Russia had absolutely nothing to do with the selection of Sochi as host to the Olympics. As seen here,
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-process-for-determining-the-location-of-the-olympic-games.htm
“Each of the five candidate cities has to respond to a new questionnaire about their plans to host the Olympics. The new questionnaire is over 250 pages long and covers such topics as media operations, marketing, and the structure and workings of the athlete’s Olympic Village. Once all of the completed questionnaires have been received, an Evaluation Commission within the IOC analyzes the detailed documents and visits each potential host city for four days.”
And, “Each active member of the IOC general assembly gets one vote to choose the new Olympics host city. Members who reside in a country that has a city on the final list cannot participate in the voting process as long as that city is in contention. ”
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
Russia nominated Sochi, there is nothing in your text to the contrary. The IOC votes on which city from the different countries competing will host, not which city the host country uses for its nomination.
What would the world say if the US wanted to host the Winter Olympics in Miami?
I for one would call it a stupid idea.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g298536-d307455-r24440989-Krasnaya_Polyana_Red_Meadow-Sochi_South_Russia.html
Nobody is saying Russia doesn’t have mountains, creep. We are saying IT DOESN’T HAVE A CHARMING CITY LIKE VANCOUVER MUCH LESS ONE COVERED IN SNOW DURING WINTER which athletes and tourists can enjoy in the winter spirit. And given its proximity to a tropical coast, Russian snowmaking will be sorely taxed and quite possibly proven inadequate. Sochi is a dump, and a tropical dump at that. Nobody wants to look at PALM TREES when they visit the Winter Olympiad.
VANCOUVER DURING WINTER:
http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/parenting/archive/2010/02/09/vancouver-warmest-olympics-snow.aspx.
No snow? No surprise. Vancouver is warmest city to ever host Winter Olympics
By Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun
But world sports fans who turn on their TVs in 2010 will probably see the kind of winter Vancouverites know all too well: a cloudy, rainy city full of people carrying umbrellas.
In the month of February, when the Games will be held, Vancouver has an average temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius [41 degrees Fahrenheit]. (Temperatures are obviously much lower on the mountains of Cypress and Whistler, where outdoor events will be held.)
But Vancouver has an average snowfall of just 48 centimetres and — as most Vancouverites know — it is rare for even that small amount to stay on the ground for more than a couple of days.
Vancouver’s lack of snow will have no practical impact on the Games.
All the ski and snowboard events will be held at Whistler and Cypress Bowl (although international ski events at Whistler have been cancelled in the past due to mild weather). Those sports taking place in Vancouver itself are all indoor events, like ice skating and curling.
But Vancouver will be centre stage during the opening and closing ceremonies, and broadcasters are likely to use images of the city’s skyline as a backdrop between events. And that skyline will probably not look very wintery.
Rainy, miserable weather in Vancouver is the norm.
“We’re unique in that we know that it’s likely going to rain in Vancouver,” said Carre. “The chances are more likely it’s going to rain than not. So what has to happen is the city has to be prepared to present itself in that kind of environment.”
Indeed, the biggest challenge the rainy weather could pose for Vancouver is how to promote the city as a tourist destination during what is one of the most miserable months of the year.
While there are likely to be at least a couple of nice, sunny days during the two-week event, there could also be plenty of days of driving rain and cloudy skies.
“It’s probably not the best time of year to showcase Vancouver in terms of the weather,” Carre said. “But you can certainly showcase the city in terms of the ocean, the mountains and the easy proximity to the snow.”
Judas adds that Vancouver has never been a weather-specific destination.
“If you want beautiful weather you go to Hawaii. If you want snow you got to Whistler.”
And Vancouver’s mild climate might even be a nice break for Olympic spectators.
“I think that is probably one of the attractive features of the Vancouver-Whistler bid,” Carre said. “That if you want to go for the snow you can drive [to Whistler] and be there in a short time period. And if you wish not to, you can stay in Vancouver with a mild temperature … I think there’s something to be said for having something different. We are unique.”
It’s a pity you are so ignorant and illiterate. We’ve already reported that Vancouver had SERIOUS PROBLEMS with lack of snow, and was HUMILIATED by having to cancel tickets to some events because of warm conditions. We’ve written about other serious problems with the Vancouver games, problems it had EVEN THOUGH it is rich. Sochi is poor, and will have EVEN MORE problems:
http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/editorial-the-looming-sochi-disaster/
Vancouver however, unlike Sochi, is ranked as one of the most livable and pleasant cities on the planet.
Oh and by the way YOUR OWN ARTICLE is mocking Vancouver and Vancouver is having to defend itself.
You are so stupid and dishonest that it makes us weep with laughter!
Please read our blog before you comment. If you can’t manage that, we can’t manage to publish your insipid propaganda.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Vancouver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sochi#Climate
It just happens to be a little bit colder than Vancouver in winter. Here’s a good picture of what Sochi might be like in winter:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4385166
.
Hmm, seems you Russophile idiots can’t get your act together. Is Sochi snowy, or is it a good thing it’s NOT snowy, just like Vancouver??
Ouch. Maybe you should read each other’s comments before posting?
Miami “might” have snow too. Why don’t you give some facts about how often it snows in Sochi? Is it because it’s about as common as snowball fights in hell?
But thanks for agreeing with our claim that snow is necessary and making your fellow Russophile look like a fool! If you think snow is likely in a place that has PALM TREES, you are a classic example of what is wrong with Russia.
So what that it’s a resort and has palm trees? Burden of proof is on you to show climate is unsuitable for games. Climate in Sochi is similar than Vancouver in winter and it also mountains for skiing. All you offer is a kind of a soundbite – “It has palms, how it can be suitable for winter games”? This argument looks like it comes straight out of the movie, you know – “It has electrolytes, and electrolytes is what plants crave!” If it would be funny if I didn’t find laughing at idiots objectionable…
does kim ‘russophobe’ zigfield realize that the best skiing in all of north america lies an hour and a bit outside of vancouver?
and, like vancouver, none of the games are really occurring it the temperate seaside climate. they’ll be at nearby mountains such as krasnaya polyana.
it seems to me that you would be complaining about the olympics whether they were held in the beautiful and temperate sochi or some mountainous version of yakutsk.
do you understand what it is like to spend a month living in -20 C and horrible wind? to ski in that? it is impossible to have freedom of movement; you’re either too bundled up or your muscles are frozen stiff. you would never stop complaining. and you would likely accuse the russians of choosing such a cold place to their advantage.
don’t you new yorker understand what a blessing having both a spring like condition (read: temperate with the possibility of snow) for everyone involved? and to have such a beautiful climate close by, damp and cold in the mountains? that if vancouver was colder, like sochi, the mountains would not get the amount of snow they do.
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
Does Paul the jackass realize he is violating our rules by not providing evidence of his factual claims and not reading our posts before writing.
We never said Sochi doesn’t have mountains. We said it’s a tropical resort and the last place in the world that’s suitable to host the games. Vancouver doesn’t have palm trees, you clueless idiot
It seems to us you’d be complaining about this blog no matter what criticism we made of Russia, and that you’re a mind-bogglingly blind hypocrite.
Nice try. Ever heard of Krasnaya Polyana? Look it up on Wikipedia. Sochi might have mild winters, but it is right by the North Caucasus mountain range. As soon as you go up a few kilometers, there is plenty of snow up there. Russia’s biggest ski resort, called Krasnaya Polyna, is located not too far from Sochi. A light rail system is being built to connect Sochi to Krasnaya Polyana.
Here is a picture of Putin and M<edvedev enjoying a ski vacation over there just weeks ago.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1952454_2022046,00.html
Saying “Russia’s biggest ski resort” is like saying “Montana’s biggest ballet company.” The skiing world is HARDLY beating a path to Russia’s door, dimwit. Your remark is so ignorant, it bespeaks drunkenness.
Meanwhile, as WE’VE ALREADY SAID, Vancouver had SERIOUS PROBLEMS with lack of snow, but at least it had an interesting city to make up for it, and a wealthy country standing behind it. Russia is poor, and its Olympics builders are starving as we document in today’s issue.
Your “comment” is hilariously stupid.
Whats hilariously stupid is how you make a statement that claim Sochi is just a summer resort, ignoring the fact there’s a huge mountain ski resort a few miles away and when you’re called out…you completely go off topic and try to make some witty insult.
Change? I don’t think so.
While many of us might hope that the financial crisis will bring some serious change to Russia, my good Russian friend Oleg explained to me one evening over dinner why that won’t happen. “You see”, he said, tapping his fork on the rim of his plate, then pointing it at me, “Russian’s are extremely adaptable to misery and authoritarianism. To illustrate my point, I’ll tell you a Russian anecdote”:
In an industrial monotown in the south of Russia, they produced during the communism left shoes of a well known Russian brand. The right ones were produced in Siberia. Not to wonder, business wasn’t going too well for the factory, so one day the local apparatchik addressed the workers: “Next week you have to work seven days and get paid for four days. Any questions?” No, there was no questions. The next week, things were as bad as before, and the apparatchik addressed the workers again: “Next month you have to work seven days a week. Nobody gets paid. Any questions?” No questions. A month passed, but things hadn’t improved at all, and he again stood in front of the workers with a sinister look on his face: “Tomorrow every fifth worker will be hanged. Any questions?” A tiny woman raised her hand and stuttered: “Are we supposed to bring our own rope?”
“That’s how the Russian mind works after 80 years of intellectual deconstruction”, Oleg assures me. “That’s why there will be NO change”.
I looked at the photos of Putler and Medvedev at “roosha’s biggest ski resort.”
They were both on Yamaha snowmobiles.
Med was wearing Bogner ski goggles. Putler was wearing Smith ski goggles.
I wonder if those companies paid Putler and Med for the endorsements.
Wow, i like this article , Thx