OH, JULIE ANDREWS...SHEESH:

... So, I am NOT a gun advocate by any means but I came across this *.gif today and I thought I would share it - Sort of odd, right?

The hills ARE alive...With the sound of GUNFIRE??? - Okie, dokie...

Cheers?
B.

... AND WITH THAT - MERELY A MEMORY:

... This will be my final Blog Post regarding the Olympics - AND - Yes, I am sorry that it is so late; things have been coo-coo bananas around here.

Well, the 2014 Winter Olympics (XXII Olympic Winter Games, Games of the XXII Olympiad) ended a last month and the Vladimir Putin "Dog and Pony" show really sort of ended with more of a whisper than a bang - Especially considering all of the hoopla leading up to the games involving human rights, Russian Anti-LGBT Legislation and the famed trial and imprisonment of the Feminist Punk Band "Pussy Riot" - AND - Promptly after the games Putin decided to get tangled up in an invasion of Ukraine.

But...That is a topic for another blog on another day.

Because on THIS Blog we talk about silly things like concrete reinforcing, abandoned and/or forgotten feats of architectural awesomeness, minimalist sports-themed artwork, coffee, Michael Jordan, goofy stuff I find on the internet and whatever else might present itself in my warped and twisted little mind...I mean hey, I think you can even find some examples of my professional work but we honestly do NOT talk politics...

So yeah, in addition to the Olympics being an epic gathering of the world's most amazing and talented athletes in peak physical condition during the prime of their respective lives they offer up architectural wonders that are in most cases mere simple single servings - I remember touring some of the remaining facilities left from the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany (XX Olympic Summer Games, or the Games of the XX Olympiad) - I was around nineteen and it was shortly after the merger of East and West Germany...It just an odd feeling of history - An "if these walls could talk" type of situation...But ultimately, really just sort of a ghost town.

But I digress...

... Back to last months games - Naturally, there was quite a bit of single serving infrastructure built for Sochi too - You can follow this link for a slide show of the heavy-hitting facilities from the most recent Winter Olympics:

http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/aerial-views-of-sochi-1389826189-slideshow/aerial-views-of-sochi-venues-photo-1389825352550.html

When I originally cycled through these images it got me thinking about all the money that countries spend on Olympic Facilities and what actually happens once the games' closing ceremony is over and everyone leaves...What do counties do with the "left overs?" - Ultimately, this made me think about the 1984 Winter Olympics (XIV Olympic Winter Games, or the Games of the XIV Olympiad) which took place from February 8-19, 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, what is now present-day Bosnia-Herzegovina...

Here is the logo from the 1984 Olympics:

Now, this might be an extreme case but it was also very historic - It was not only the first Winter Olympics  but also the second consecutive Olympics held in a Communist County; with the first being the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union.

... And roughly seven years later Sarajevo was in the middle of what many consider the deadliest European conflict since World War II - A series of conflicts spanning eight years, two months and two weeks starting in Slovenia and ending with the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War:

The Yugoslav Wars.

The Yugoslav Wars remain infamous for war crimes like ethnic cleansing and other viscous crimes against humanity...You can read all about here on the Wikipedia page - BUT - Be careful; it is the sort of thing that is addictive and can eat up a whole day: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_Wars )

Quite a bit of history there, huh? - Did you know there is a "Bill Clinton Boulevard" in Pristina, Kosovo? - No, really - You can check it out here: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton_Boulevard )

... So, as you imagine - War brings a lot of sadness, turmoil, disarray and destruction...And this war was no different - AND - Yes, those pretty facilities left behind that were built for a single serving of use during the 1984 Olympics were not exempt from any of those wonderful things that war brings with it...Governments were torn-down, country lines were re-drawn, people were killed, buildings were destroyed in the middle stood the remaining facilities left over from the XIV Olympic Winter Games...Actually, a lot of them are still standing as an eerie reminder of what once was.

Remember early when I mentioned a ghost town? - Well this one wins:

http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/crumbling-sites-from-sarajevo-s-1984-olympics-slideshow/people-walk-past-logo-winter-olympics-sarajevo-painted-photo-101526387.html

The Abandoned Medal Stand:

What Remains of the Luge Pipe:

...Another Image of the Luge Pipe:

The Abandoned Ski Jumps:

One More Image of the Medal Stand:

Here is "Vučko," or "The Little Wolf" - The Games' Mascot:

...And One Last Image of the Ski Jumps - Note the 'UN' Initials:

Sad.

Definitely a "if these walls could talk" type of situation...Cheers,

Hot Mama

P.S.

Sorry for the lesson - Both my Father and Sister are Historians...Oh well.

LE SIGH:

... So, I have had a pretty shitty week at work this week - Yes, I know it is ONLY Tuesday - GROAN.

BUT - All is not lost - Well, I suppose so anyway...It reminds me of a quote from a guest lecturer I jotted down in a Sketchbook many moons ago:

"And sometimes you get to do something fun, like a pool..."

-Unknown (The University of Arizona, circa. 1997)

Yeah, that about sums it up.

Le sigh,

B.

DEAR ESPN:

... I HATE YOU SO MUCH:

Love,

The Benjamin.

LIGHT BULB:

... Oh Mondays, how I hate thee - If only I had a freeze-ray and an army of yellow fun-loving Minions to do my bidding:

Just saying it would be nice...PEACE,

B.