Olympics Week

SOUND OFF | The Olympics Gym Playlist

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With the 2018 Winter Olympics well underway, many have found inspiration to hit the gym and keep their New Year’s resolution well and alive. Here’s a playlist inspired by the music of the Olympics, whether it’s a song endorsed by athletes themselves or played during competition. Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Migos: Post-interview, Chloe Kim was asked what music she was listening to between her runs, and she responded with “Toxic” and “Paparazzi” by Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. Afterwards, she included “Motorsport” by Migos ft. Nicki Minaj and Cardi B as one of her pump-up songs.

Olympics Week

OF MARGINAL INTEREST | An Olympian Feat: the Economics of Hosting the Games

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As we speak, college students worldwide pull out their shotskis and ice luge molds in celebration of the most riveting quadrennial exercise in patriotism, team spirit, and demolition of self-worth—the Winter Olympics. This year’s games are being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a city of 40,000, of which only 35.6% were interested in the Winter Olympics, according to a survey taken last April by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. While the Games have proceeded swimmingly and the drone light show/technical precision/flagbearers (I’m looking at you, Tongan flag man) of the opening ceremony were spectacular, the potential $13 billion price tag for this year’s Olympics has raised some questions, particularly as Rio, host of the 2016 Summer Olympics, still faces $40 million in debt. Between Rio and Montreal, which took 30 years to pay off debt from its 1976 Olympic Games, a valid question can be raised: why do countries even want to host the Olympics? And when they do, how does it work out for them economically?

Olympics Week

SUNSPOTS | What Are You Most Excited About for the Olympics?

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Jacqueline Quach ’19: The flashy figure skating outfits! Where else can one appreciate such brightly colored, such meticulously designed and bedazzled fashions? Eunnuri Yi ’20: I’m most excited for all of the nationalism-tinged drama that will inevitably ensue in skating!  I’m not excited about the (also inevitably?) inaccurate and distorted news coverage on Korea, which has already started! 😡 A real quick and should-be obvious fact check: The Olympics are happening in PyeongChang, South Korea — NOT Pyongyang, which is in North Korea. Griffin Smith-Nichols ’19: I am excited to see Iceland’s 5 athletes sweep the board with the rest of the world’s 2,947. Áfram Ísland!