2008 Beijing Olympics Thread

[Freak Out]

When I saw some of those Chinese girls, they did not look anywhere near 16. Some of them looked like they had not even reached puberty with flat chests and the hips of a 9 year old.

Kiera Knightley does gymnastics?

No shit man....does that tart ever eat?

[Freak Out]

When the hell does track and field start?

[BallHawk]

When the hell does track and field start?

Friday.

[Kiwon]

OUCH!!!! Elbow turned backwards!!

[Gunakor]

Matt LaPorta is struggling in the Olympics for Team USA. He is 1 for 9 in 2 games played thus far. His one hit in the Olympics was a 3 run HR against the Netherlands.

[mraynrand]

OUCH!!!! Elbow turned backwards!!

At first I thought this was a Steven Segal movie.

[mraynrand]

they've combined the worst parts of communism with the worst parts of capitalism .

what is there to cheer about china? that is a nightmare country. horrible. most of their population has not shared in the economic expansion. State control like out of a science fiction novel.

you sniff at the ecological damage they are doing, but that is ignorant. The air quality in our country is going to shit because of all the pollution carried across the upper atmosphere.

You're buying into the worst of liberal propaganda--a long with just a dab of conservative propaganda too, Harlan.

I say again, the environmentalist idiocy is overrated there and non-existent here. And from all indications I have seen, the prosperity from the conversion to capitalism--something ethnic Chinese have thrived on for several millenia, has indeed, trickled down very well to all levels of Chinese society. The freedom aspect may not be what it should be yet, but it's a night and day difference from a generation or two ago.

Don't be so negative. The Chinese mprovement both in prosperity and in freedom are good for Americans in a lot of ways.

Tex, you gotta be kidding. The environmental damage being carried out in China is beyond belief. Ya think maybe the COMMUNIST government is trying to suppress the info that gets out. Maybe? It's worse than you think. I work with a bunch of Chinese folks here on visas or green cards. The o back and visit every year or two. In some places, they can't see their hands in front of them because of the soot in the air. But never fear, because extra particulate matter in the air will lead to global dimming, which will counteract 'global warming' - the silver lining to the soot clouds.

[oregonpackfan]

Yesterday, I listened on ESPN radio about the diet of swimmer Michael Phelps. It was incredible!

The guy eats 12,000 calories a food a day! The average American adult consumes about 3,000 calories a day.

The guy must burn off almost all that food. If you look at his ripped physique, his body fat must be in the 3-5% range.

[texaspackerbacker]

they've combined the worst parts of communism with the worst parts of capitalism .

what is there to cheer about china? that is a nightmare country. horrible. most of their population has not shared in the economic expansion. State control like out of a science fiction novel.

you sniff at the ecological damage they are doing, but that is ignorant. The air quality in our country is going to shit because of all the pollution carried across the upper atmosphere.

You're buying into the worst of liberal propaganda--a long with just a dab of conservative propaganda too, Harlan.

I say again, the environmentalist idiocy is overrated there and non-existent here. And from all indications I have seen, the prosperity from the conversion to capitalism--something ethnic Chinese have thrived on for several millenia, has indeed, trickled down very well to all levels of Chinese society. The freedom aspect may not be what it should be yet, but it's a night and day difference from a generation or two ago.

Don't be so negative. The Chinese mprovement both in prosperity and in freedom are good for Americans in a lot of ways.

Tex, you gotta be kidding. The environmental damage being carried out in China is beyond belief. Ya think maybe the COMMUNIST government is trying to suppress the info that gets out. Maybe? It's worse than you think. I work with a bunch of Chinese folks here on visas or green cards. The o back and visit every year or two. In some places, they can't see their hands in front of them because of the soot in the air. But never fear, because extra particulate matter in the air will lead to global dimming, which will counteract 'global warming' - the silver lining to the soot clouds.

The smog in Beijing is mainly the result of a natural phenomenon--the Gobi Desert expanding toward the city, with incredible amounts of dust and sand blowing in.

Aynrand, you seem to have pretty good conservative credentials. Tell me you don't buy into the whole wacko environmentalist pack of lies about manmade global warming. Any warming that can be documented at all is natural climatic cycles. The same leftists were whining about global COOLING until the late 70s, and blaming westernized civilization and capitalism for that. Now, in the last few years, it even seems like the period of warming has leveled off. If that indeed, becomes clear, I wonder what their next party line will be.

[GBRulz]

I find this very a palling.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/12/olympic.ceremony.lip.synche.ap/index.html

BEIJING, China (AP) -- A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another little girl with a pixie smile lip-synched "Ode to the Motherland," a ceremony official said.
9-year-old Lin Miaoke

9-year-old Lin Miaoke had the 'cute' face that Olympic organizers wanted for the opening ceremony.

A member of China's ruling Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl's face with another's voice, the ceremony's chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.

"The audience will understand that it's in the national interest," Chen said in a video of the interview posted online Sunday night.

The news follows reports that some footage of the fireworks exploding across China's capital during the ceremony was digitally inserted into television coverage, apparently over concerns that not all of the 29 blasts could be captured on camera.

China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.

The country's quest for perfection apparently includes its children.

Lin Miaoke's performance Friday night, like the ceremony itself, was an immediate hit. "Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song," the China Daily newspaper headline said Tuesday.

But the real voice behind the tiny, pigtailed girl in the red dress who wowed 91,000 spectators at the National Stadium on opening night really belonged to 7-year-old Yang Peiyi. Her looks apparently failed the cuteness test with officials organizing the ceremony, but Chen said her voice was judged the most beautiful.

[texaspackerbacker]

This is a little bit sad, but really no big deal either. Apparently neither little girl or their families were upset.

Things like this just highlight the fact that China is STILL Communist, even though its economy has gone almost entirely capitalist and there is even a moderate degree of freedom for the Chinese people.

I would say (and I'm probably more conservative and pro-American that just about anybody) that we shouldn't nit-pick about these little throwbacks to Communist crap from the past. A free, happy, prosperous, and proud China, even though still "Communist-light" is a good thing for America in a lot of ways.

[mngolf19]

This is a little bit sad, but really no big deal either. Apparently neither little girl or their families were upset.

Things like this just highlight the fact that China is STILL Communist, even though its economy has gone almost entirely capitalist and there is even a moderate degree of freedom for the Chinese people.

I would say (and I'm probably more conservative and pro-American that just about anybody) that we shouldn't nit-pick about these little throwbacks to Communist crap from the past. A free, happy, prosperous, and proud China, even though still "Communist-light" is a good thing for America in a lot of ways.

I deal with the Chinese on a daily basis at work Tex. You couldn't be more wrong. Chinese are currently the way the US is heading, haves and have nots. And the have nots have no lives to speak of, totally controlled. "Do this, or we'll kill your family". Child labor. Constant bribes of politicians. Wow, you've taken your conservative company line to a new level this time.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

they've combined the worst parts of communism with the worst parts of capitalism .

what is there to cheer about china? that is a nightmare country. horrible. most of their population has not shared in the economic expansion. State control like out of a science fiction novel.

you sniff at the ecological damage they are doing, but that is ignorant. The air quality in our country is going to shit because of all the pollution carried across the upper atmosphere.

You're buying into the worst of liberal propaganda--a long with just a dab of conservative propaganda too, Harlan.

I say again, the environmentalist idiocy is overrated there and non-existent here. And from all indications I have seen, the prosperity from the conversion to capitalism--something ethnic Chinese have thrived on for several millenia, has indeed, trickled down very well to all levels of Chinese society. The freedom aspect may not be what it should be yet, but it's a night and day difference from a generation or two ago.

Don't be so negative. The Chinese mprovement both in prosperity and in freedom are good for Americans in a lot of ways.

Tex, you gotta be kidding. The environmental damage being carried out in China is beyond belief. Ya think maybe the COMMUNIST government is trying to suppress the info that gets out. Maybe? It's worse than you think. I work with a bunch of Chinese folks here on visas or green cards. The o back and visit every year or two. In some places, they can't see their hands in front of them because of the soot in the air. But never fear, because extra particulate matter in the air will lead to global dimming, which will counteract 'global warming' - the silver lining to the soot clouds.

The smog in Beijing is mainly the result of a natural phenomenon--the Gobi Desert expanding toward the city, with incredible amounts of dust and sand blowing in.

Aynrand, you seem to have pretty good conservative credentials. Tell me you don't buy into the whole wacko environmentalist pack of lies about manmade global warming. Any warming that can be documented at all is natural climatic cycles. The same leftists were whining about global COOLING until the late 70s, and blaming westernized civilization and capitalism for that. Now, in the last few years, it even seems like the period of warming has leveled off. If that indeed, becomes clear, I wonder what their next party line will be.

What part of "soot" didn't you understand? Soot doesn't come from sand or dust.

But, then again..can we trust the first hand accounts from those who've actually been there..since we can't trust those damn commies.

What part of the athletes afraid of lung damage due to pollution don't you understand.

BTW, i'm sure the brown cloud that hovers over L.A. is simply the cause of the palm desert expanding towards L.A.

[mraynrand]

Tex,

Everything doesn't have to run through some sort of conservative party-line filter. The effect of AGW (as much as it may be) could indeed be counteracted by global dimming (a real effect that was quantified by comparing the effect of pollution in the northern and southern Maldives). AGW - the truth - I recommend reading 'The Deniers.' Pollution in China exists, and not just smog and other particulate matter. I've talked with various folks who were part of the massive evacuations along various rivers following the release of toxins. Hundreds of thousands of people were effected. The damage to rivers in China makes the Cuyahoga in the 70s look like the Virgin river in Utah. Look, In general I think AGW is overblown, but conservatives are (and should be) good stewards of the environment. Bush has spent over 1.7 Bil/year during his presidency just on climate research. It's good to know the facts and fight to keep the environment as pollutant free as possible, without destroying our economy to do it. Problem is, the Chinese government doesn't share this POV.

[texaspackerbacker]

Tyrone, you continue to live up to your penchant for idiocy. What part of sand and dust do you not understand? The vast majority of air pollution in the Beijing area is NOT soot from factory smokestacks or whatever. It is dust and sand from the dessert. Los Angeles smog also is in large part natural. True, it has a lot to do with vehicle exhaust, etc., but the inversion layer--a natural phenomenon that is fairly consistently over the LA basin, keeps the air stagnant and smoggy.

Mngolf, I think I am actually departing from the conservative position--if indeed, there is such a thing--with my softness on China. I think you are hearing a small jaded sample of the Chinese public opinion. The country is rapidly moving toward capitalism and less rapidly moving toward westernization and freedom. It's still Communist, though, so I don't doubt that there is a fairly limited amount of what you described.

Aynrand, not buying into the leftist myth of manmade global warming is NOT some kind of a "conservative party-line". It is simply an acknowledgement of clear objective facts and common sense. Rather, it is looking at things through a severe LEFTIST FILTER to believe the crap they spew. I sincerely hope you do not.

Water pollution as you described is apples and oranges different than air pollution--which in itself, is not even a large correlation with the crap they spew about manmade global warming. Undoubtedly you are correct about water pollution in China. That, however, is a localized situation with no relation to the gw discussion.