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Of course the LGBT community is attempting to use the Olympic Games to bring further attention to what's going on in Russia. I'll also agree with you that the tactics being used by some are disgraceful, but then I've found that most activists believe the ends justify the means. You have my sympathy for taking the brunt of that. Also, you raise a good point about how much it would cost to move the games, and I wouldn't like to see a country basically voluntold they're holding the games and then devolve into a situation similar to Brazil with the World Cup.

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Weezer - Unbreak My Heart (toni braxton cover)

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Early August is birthday extravaganza time for me - three family birthdays within the first week and half - so falling a bit behind on the shows I follow. Although I finally got around to catching up on Runway this evening!



Edit:

I found the episode, called "Road to the Runway", but you have to access it through your cable provider. The interface is on the Project Runway site, though.
Watching a bit now and the rest tomorrow.

TDS Meeting -

What is TDS - TDS is a Server-Wide NON-Rep WvW guild used by guild leaders and commanders to organize players into raids and organized attacks. It's main goal is to help guilds whose main focus is not WvW feel a part of something larger while still representing their own guild [SWVG]. SWVG will continue to promote any gameplay style our members are interested in, but would like to give those who are more interested in WvW a chance to make a serious impact on the field.

Guild leaders and their commanders involved in TDS meet on Saturday at 6pm EST in Teamspeak.

TDS Weekly WvW Runs -
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday 5pm Server Time / 8 PM EST.

WvW Training for new players -

Training occurs as scheduled. Please check the server events calendar for up-to-date training dates. Event Calendar


WvW Match Reset - 6:00pm Server Time (9:00pm ET)

I do not have a link. It was broadcast right before the first episode. Go to Lifetime's website and they may have it. And no I do not think that particular event has happened before.

I saw this a few days okay. I wanted to post something, but this issue makes my blood boil and I tend to call people names. So I did not. It's been worse. I am sure there are more deaths that have not been reported.

At this point while they are not speaking out, the message and the plight of the GLBT community in Russia is heard well and clear through out the world. If any one is trying to use the IOC as a tool it's the GLBT community at this point. We know how to stop people from using us as tools. Any attempts from Russia or any any other countries to put down a minority group would be dealt with swiftly, and the reason the IOC has not acted against Russia yes is because it has not attempted to use the games as a weapon. They may be evil but they aren't stupid.

For me it's completely about affecting change in Russia so that the willful and state sponsored suppression of a segment of it's population isn't internationally endorsed. I do NOT want to see the IOC became a political weapon designed to punish those the majority disagrees with. If Russia was simply saying it didn't like gay people and thought they were abominations in the eyes of God I wouldn't be opposed to them holding the games. When it goes beyond words into action that's when I have a problem.

Yes, aboriginals has been used by the British to apply to all indigenous groups within their empire. However, it was specifically First Nation land that was seized in Vancouver and I prefer to be a bit specific when talking about groups to try and avoid as much confusion as possible. Especially with text and most people naturally reading it in a negative tone. :) Thus the liberal use of smileys as well.

I have to say this, is this truly wanting to effect change in Russia and the protection of delegations and tourists in Sochi or is it once again a hissy fit over the IOC decided that we would take actions for the good of the Olympic Movement and not for the (Insert Special Interest Group Here) or be their tool to further their cause. If it's the first then why haven't any one pressure the US State Dept and other national foreign ministries to request Diplomatic Immunity for their delegations from Russia? DI is the best diplomatic channel for this kind of situation. If it's for the persecution of Russian gays then the UN would be the appropriate channel for that.

When we select the games it's for a myriad of reasons other than who are we going to offend the least (let me tell you that's the last thing we think about). In 2007 Sochi was in the best position to be able to host the Games in 2014. If we start introducing protection criteria for certain groups we would have to introduce them for every groups with out bias or prejudice. We can't do that. BTW We already knew of Russian human rights abuse against gays in 2007 and in the months leading up to IOC Session in Guatemala City. Where was the uproar then? Why wait this long when it's too late to change anything to make a fuss?

I wouldn't put it pass the Russian government to blame the gays for a less than stellar review. I'm not unsympathetic to the plight of gays and lesbians through out the world and I am all about effecting meaningful change. But I refuse to act on a temper tantrum, calling it self activism. Instead of delivering that petition to the IOC it should have been delivered to the UN Council on Human Rights.

Instead of calling for boycotts you should be petitioning those companies to sponsor cities and countries with human rights records you like to bid for the Games. Let me tell you the 3rd world is developing. Nairobi, Casablanca, Durban and Doha Wants the 2024 Games. So Does, Kiev, Guadalajara and Busan. Each of those cities are in countries with a not so stellar record of human rights violations or they are not sympathetic to the GLBT communities. And it's not cheap to even BID for the Games. Taipe, Berlin, Paris, Toronto, Philly and Los Angeles also wants the games, the biggest obstacle to mounting a full bid? Money. Also just giving y'all a peek into my crystal ball, Moscow will be mounting a bid for 2028.

No organization is perfect. Humans are not perfect. The world flat out sucks in areas where people are shit on by oppression or corruption, and times like now it's very hard to see past those things. I can't see past the violence because each one of us in here knows that, as humans, we are capable of much better than this.

That said, I've had and always will have respect for the athletes who do honest competition in the games.

The conceit that the IOC or the Olympics or whatever is a non-political entity is absolute baloney. The reality is that by going to certain places and participating with certain groups and legitimizing certain types of behaviour, you are giving tacit approval.

In this case, the Olympics are giving tacit approval to the legitimacy of the Russian government and what it is doing right now.

Likewise, every time the Olympics occurs on aboriginal land, the IOC is giving tacit approval to land theft.

Moreover, when the Olympics occurs in cities where the homeless population is arrested, placed on buses, and shipped to other cities in order to shirk social responsibility onto other communities, the IOC is giving approval to that as well.

As Howard Zinn said: you can't be neutral on a moving train.

The reality is that the Olympics are and have been a highly political entity for decades and they hide behind the cowardly facade of pretending to be apolitical but let's not kid ourselves: The IOC is firmly entrenched in the Money Party. And they gladly walk all over any country's most vulnerable citizens to get it.

I've personally been boycotting the shit show that is the Olympics since I was old enough to read about jut how destructive and predatory this institution is and I'm happy to continue the tradition with Sochi.