NorthGeek

NorthGeek at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games

Don’t get too excited… We’re not competing in anything. We’re just taking in the sights and sounds of this awesome atmosphere. Couldn’t be more excited for the world to get together in our backyard!

Among the many attractions that are some old, some fairly new to the city for the Olympics, is the Bombarider “experiment” – the Olympic Line Streetcar. This is the fanciest public tram I’ve ever been on. Leather, wood, and sharp, sharp flat screens. Too bad the city loses it after the games… Maybe if we all make enough noise, the Olympic Line will join Vancouver’s public transit system, for good.

Here are just a couple short clips of our experience on the line:

“With Glowing Hearts”: True North Media House and the 2010 Olympics

“With Glowing Hearts” is a documentary by Andrew Lavigne about social media and its part in the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In the following episode, Kris Krug, Dave Olson, and Rebecca Bollwitt talk about their story and the emergence of the True North Media House, an independent media project to cover the Games.

According to Dave, “What you see on TV is very different from what happens on the ground… We’ve reached the point where grassroots has boiled up and leveled with mainstream media.” Watch the video below:

How to Experience the Vancouver 2010 Olympics like a Local

Vancouver is hosting the big ‘ole Olympics this February 12-28. It is actually the biggest city to ever host the Winter Olympics, so you can be sure there’s going to be a lot going on. Here’s a taste of what to do while you’re visiting Vancouver and how to connect with and discover local secrets. If you’re not coming to Vancouver, this could be the magical ways you can experience a very intimate and local Olympics experience through the eyes of a bunch of dedicated and internet-vocal Vancouver locals.

You need to be prepared for a few things:

• Vancouver is going to be a 24/7 party
• It can rain (a whole lot) in February
• You really have no idea what to expect, and neither do the locals

Not everyone in Vancouver is so excited to have the Olympics, mainly because of the IOC’s and VANOC’s shenanigans. However, you can’t resist the remarkable stories to come from athletic inspired achievements. You also won’t be able to resist seeing a stunning and photogenic Vancouver — hopefully you will give back, with your time and money, to the people and businesses that make this world-class city thrive.

ABOUT VANCOUVER
Pick up some local newspapers and weeklies and have a look at Georgia Straight (one of the best weeklies in Vancouver) Best of Vancouver for ideas where to eat, hang, and do. Check out some Google Maps of certain celebrities’ favourite spots in the city. Drink Vancouver’s delicious tap water, and find fountains around the city using this map. Read Vancouver authors, subscribe to some Vancouver bloggers, Twitterers, photographers, videographers, and designers. Vancouver is a social media savvy city, and they are beautifully eloquent. Read about what’s going directly from the people (contact me if I’ve missed you!).

• Miss604
• Doug Copeland
• Kris Krug
• Techvibes
• Vancity Buzz
• John Biehler
• Ecstaticist

FOOD
Vancouver doesn’t just have top sushi, ramen, and pho. Try elsewhere on Yelp etc. for other local favourites, including ‘Gourmand’ Gastown. Or crowd source some ideas, Mitch Joel style. And please try to avoid McDonald’s, unless you’re trying to track down athletes at the McDonald’s next to the athlete’s village, bound to be full of athletes seeking familiar (though likely performance un-enhancing) fares. For available water fountains around town, check out this great mashup map.

FOLLOW TNMH
True North Media House, or TNMH, @tnmh, or #tnmh, is likely to be an exciting Olympics source to follow. They’ll (we’ll) be organizing many planned and impromptu meetups, photowalks, parties, and events around town. They’re both local, knowledgeable semi-pro journalists, bloggers, photographers, but also an extension to anyone visiting Vancouver who wants to be part of the future of Olympics coverage through citizen journalism.

We at NorthGeek have assembled three key Twitter lists to follow:

• @NorthGeek/van2010: a great collection of Olympics-interested Twitterers worth following
• @NorthGeek/tnmh: True North Media House fellas
• @NorthGeek/olympic-athletes: Olympics athletes

ESCAPE IN THE CITY
Some of the best things to do in Vancouver aren’t in Vancouver. Escape the downtown core for some breathtaking adventures:

• Head up to Grouse Mountain, home of the NBC armchair commentators and 24 hour a day skiing and skating. And it’s just 15 minutes from downtown.
• Will anyone be up skiing on Mt Seymour? It’s beautiful up there and you might have some peace and quiet on the slopes.
• Museum of Anthropology out at University of British Columbia
• Explore Stanley Park, adjacent to the downtown core, by rental bike or foot, along its myriad of trials, hidden gems, and surrounding paved seawall
• Take a day trip to Bowen Island or the Sunshine Coast
• Hop in a seaplane for a tour the mountain-meet-ocean city: Harbour Air, West Coast Air, Saltspring Air

GET THE BLOOD PUMPING
Run the False Creek Seawall, UBC Endowment Lands, Stanley Park Seawall, or any of the many green spaces around the city. Hop in the 50m pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. Enjoy Yoga like pretty much every other Vancouverite. Y Yoga is having a great promo during the Olympics: free yoga classes for all!

CONNECT
There are many ways to avoid data roaming on your cell phone. Consider picking up a prepaid SIM card (if your phone is of the unlocked GSM variety) from a company you don’t see sponsoring the Games: Fido, Rogers, or Telus. Sure, Bell and Virgin Mobile (which they own) are fine, but I think enough people will be drawn by their ‘official carrier’ status.

Vancouver also has tons of free WiFi hotspots. Check out this map for hotpots. Pretty much every coffee shop in Vancouver has it. Also some friendly (or unknowing) residents have unlocked access points, often with the names ‘default,’ ‘netgear,’ ‘linksys,’ etc. so just stick those to auto connect and thank someone! The Vancouver City Libraries also all have free WiFi. Sign up online or in person to get an access code. Or pick up an application for your smartphone that keeps track of WiFi hotspots (JiWire for the iPhone, etc).

GETTING AROUND
Vancouver has an excellent network of public transportation and walkable routes. And the Olympics sure are going to try to keep you from driving. Check out the Skytrain (connecting with East Vancouver and further east), Canada Line (to the airport and Richmond), the temporary Olympic Line light-rail along False Creek South between Granville Island and the Athlete’s Village, and the False Creek ferry tugboats. Here’s a great link with transportation info.

SOUVENIRS
Leave Vancouver with some souvenirs of the city: art, photography, clothes, beer, and wine from locals. Check out small galleries around town and local artists. Pick up some stunning city photographs from Picture Listen. If you can’t find what you want, hire a local photographer and do your own shoot. Buy locally brewed beer and BC wine. Check out all the great clothing lines (in Gastown and small boutiques scattered along Robson). If you’re going with the big retailers, try the big Canadian vendors pushed out of the Olympics like Roots or Lululemon. Check out the Canamade market, promoting locally produced goods.

HOMELESS IN VANCOUVER
Unfortunately, homelessness is a major problem in Vancouver and has been at the center of many arguments against hosting the Olympics here and spending the dollars required for the Games. If you’re visiting Vancouver this February, do consider helping someone out, with some change or some food.

BEST WAY TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON OLYMPICS
Even better than supporting the Olympics through merchandise and tickets, considering supporting your countries’ athletes. In Canada, you can donate directly to CAN Fund, or have your eye on independent funds like B2ten which will be on the rise as long as Canadian athletes continue not receiving the support they need from the government (or as provided in other countries).

CULTURAL EVENTS
The Cultural Olympiad is organizing many free concerts and cultural events. Find more information from Miss604 and this guide for music.

YOUR COMMENTS
Hope you found some useful info here. Stay tuned by subscribing to NorthGeek blog or Twitter. Feel free to @reply NorthGeek or comment below with your thoughts!

Winter Olympics buzz all over!

This was among my favourite commercials while living down unda. And not only because I’m Canadian…

Sneak peak at Vancouver Olympics sites

There is less than 1 month until the Vancouver Winter Games. Here’s a peak through my iPhone lens at some of the sites and pavilions around False Creek in Vancouver. (All photos link to Flickr source.)

Maison Quebec at Concord Pacific site between BC Place & Sochi House (Science World) #poutine #tnmh #van2010 :

Science World Station for Olympic Line streetcar. Just a tease! Line ends @ Athlete Village (for now) #tnmh #van2010 :

Epicenter of #van2010 athletes? Golden arches next to Athletes Village. Closest some will come to gold #BigMac #tnmh :

Olympic Line streetcar "testing" running for free btw Athlete Village & Granville Island Jan21-Mar21 #tnmh #van2010. More from Miss604: www.miss604.com/2010/01/olympic-line-free-public-streetca… :

Molson Canadian 2010 Mural Project. Very very slowly filling out small fan photos. What’s it say? #tnmh #van2010
"Soar in on the Games" ?? More info: blog.molson.com/community/tag/molson-canadian-2010-mural-… :

Horrible Burrard Bridge billboard: Have you signed the petition against it? Lots of #van2010 trucks below #tnmh
It was approved by the federal gov’t and erected by the Squamish First Nation
www.kitsilano.ca/2009/12/22/have-you-signed-the-petition-…

Brown Fizzy Sugar Drink Pavillion at David Lam Park (LiveCity Yaletown) #van2010 #CocaCola #tnmh

False Creek Ferry and Switzerland House #van2010

I have been the victim of a major scam!

Women often receive warnings about protecting themselves at the mall and in dark parking lots, etc. This is the first warning I have seen for men. I wanted to pass it on in case you haven’t heard about it. This will only become more commonplace…

A ‘heads up’ for those men who may be regular Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Costco customers. This one caught me by surprise. Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be quite traumatic. Please, don’t be naive enough to think it couldn’t happen to you or your friends.

How the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking 20-something girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping bags into the trunk. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. It is impossible not to look. When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say ‘No’ and instead ask you for a ride to McDonald’s. You agree and they get into the back seat.

On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet. I had my wallet stolen November 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th, 24th, & 29th. Also December 1st & 4th, twice on the 8th, 16th, 23rd, 26th & 28th, three times last Monday and very likely again this upcoming weekend. So tell your friends to be careful. What a horrible way to take advantage of men.

Warn your friends to be vigilant.

P.S. Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2.99 each. I found cheaper ones for $1.99 at K Mart. Also, you’ll never get to eat at McDonald’s. I’ve already lost 11 pounds just running back and forth to Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Costco.

Isn’t it nice when things just work? Great Honda Accord commercial

This may not be hot off the press, but it certainly never gets old! Enjoy:

iPhone, Nexus One 3G Frequencies

Also known as, why you can’t use the new Google phone in Canada… yet.

The chart shows the 3G frequencies (different from 2G) supported by each of these two devices, as well as the 3G frequencies of four mobile carriers.

Rogers/Fido does also use 1900MHz but it seems only for 2G, not 3G. Bell and Telus’ new HSPA network uses 850MHz (possibly also 1900MHz — this is unclear but irrelevant here).

Can people run the Nexus One on Wind Mobile in Canada? It seems so. So why can’t you buy the Google phone in Canada yet? Or you could always bear with EDGE speeds from The Three Stooges. And considering that option, I still think it’s a terrible shame you can’t buy this shiny new toy in Canada yet!

We also want to know why Google decided to go with that spectrum selection? Either T-Mobile had a say, Google is in no rush to ship millions of devices to the mass market, or… price? Qualcomm pushback? (Other Android devices do have a different choice of frequencies.) Please share your thoughts below!

More info at Wikipedia. However, this info is surprisingly mysterious. Ok, maybe no one really cares about it? Prove us wrong!

The NorthGeek HowTo Series: Fly a car

You heard me. This is how it’s done. You probably need a Subaru WRX STi to do this, though…

Jay Leno: in search of Hollywood’s hidden street circuit. Starring a Mercedes SLS AMG

With the title, I believe enough has been said. I’ll add this: Dan R, you should be ashamed that you didn’t post this first. Enjoy: