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As reported today, InTransitBC revealed the first of the trains for the upcoming Canada Line. The silver trains will feature a blue and green mini-swoosh, basically creating a mix between TransLink’s SkyTrain livery and the Olympic colour scheme (also seen on the new BC Ferries Super C-Class vessels).

So, I’m wondering, what’s your opinion on the colour scheme. Because it certainly brings up a lot of issues such as brand identity and integration as a private line with the rest of the transit network, in my opinion. And then there’s just the question of whether you like the look or not. I created a poll below and I loved to get your vote and maybe a comment to further elaborate on your choice.

• Google has announced it’s “fastest growing search terms for 2007″ list. Topping it was the iPhone, TMZ, Transformers, and Heroes. All the geeks on TechCrunch, however, were completely at a loss on what Webkinz and Club Penguin are (I know cause I have a younger brother!). Just goes to show how important it is to branch out of your mother’s basement… I mean, your comfort zone ;)
• The Toronto Public Library has expanded it’s free wifi to 19 branches of it’s 99 total. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Public Library has wireless in all 21 of it’s branches. You don’t even know how convenient it actually is till you come out to Surrey with your laptop and realize that the closest hotspot is at the Starbucks. You know, the one ten blocks away near the highway with the drive-thru.
• Tricky citizens have been trying to make a quick buck by selling that hot Vancouver 2010 mascot merchandise on eBay (much to the distaste of VANOC). But rather than trying to limit the market, the Olympic Organizing Committee has embraced the web and launched an online store. That means no more wait lists for my Quatchi plush at The Bay!

• BC Grade 4ers are among the best readers in the world, but that doesn’t stop a good 10% of them from attempting suicide a few years down the line.
• The Tories have two seemingly opposing bills coming through the house. The first will regulate our cell phone market to ensure at least 40% of an upcoming spectrum sale will go to new bidders - that means no Telus, Rogers, or Bell. Meanwhile, a new copyright proposal in on it’s way, something Cory Doctorow calls, “the worst copyright law in the developed world.” (Yes, that means worse that the distratrous DCMA from the States)
• For those that liked the recently unveiled mascots, they can happily pick one up now at The Bay - for $25 minimum. But, if you’d rather wear Quatchi than hug him, you can always try and get a free Olympic pin at any Bell store this morning (just remember to clip out the coupon from The Province).

It seems like everyone has been throwing in their two cents on the mascots for our Olympic Games. Generally, either people hate them or like them, but I definitely think their reception has been far better than that of the Inukshuk logo.

Going into this, I imagined we would choose a few BC animals to represent different “things”: i.e. the Spirit Bear for the Earth, the Orca for the water, the Raven for the air. I knew, of course, that there would be a native spin to the animals, but I think doing so is quite suiting. The many aboriginal groups of BC have been here a long time, and I think their relationship with the animals is very unique and should be, and was properly, reflected in the mascots.

That said, I was surprised when I first saw them. The whole idea of a Sasquatch… it isn’t the first animal that pops into your mind when you think Vancouver, but I feel it’s actually very cool, beyond just the beer factor as has been mentioned to death. I mean, it’s a completely legendary animals after all! Besides, Quatchi pulls off the big huggable bear factor like Sully from Monsters Inc. I think as the most definable of the three, he will be liked by the most amount of people.

I didn’t know what Miga was to begin with. Just the colours and his (or her?) size in relation to Quatchi had me thinking it was a baby panda. I actually really enjoy how they merged two of the most requested animals, the orca and the spirit bear, into one. Even better though is it fits perfectly into aboriginal folklore, so there is some amount of basis for a transforming mascot.

Sumi is the weirdest for sure. It’s not clear what he is (a spirit it turns out), and the multiple features of his body (wings of a thunderbird, legs of a bear, etc.) are almost too minute of details to notice upon first look. Considering Sumi is the official mascot of the Paralympic Games, I think it would’ve been better if they had made this distinction a bit more clear, and I think the character would’ve been a bit more defined by this. I do like how he pulls of the whole Yoda thing though.

Overall, I’m very pleased with what they’ve produced. Some have been annoyed at the style of the characters calling them Pokemon. However, I think there seems to be a trend in making the mascots simply more and more cartoony and plain, which you can view for yourself in the slideshow below. Besides, there’s no distinct form of Canadian art anyways.

The mascots must possess two key features: be marketable and sellable to the public, especially children; and representative in some way of the host city, the Olympics games, or the Earth. Our mascots have succeed excellently in balancing both these aspects, and I think time will prove they are among the best Olympic mascots yet.

Here’s the Olympic mascots of past and present: