Anyone else not watching the summer Olympics?

[Road_Ratt]

I'll be watching, I always watch the olympic games. Just because it's in china isn't going to change that for me. Go USA!

[BlackArrow]

I think the whole concept around the Olympics is to allow these athletes to compete IN SPITE OF the reality of the world and the host country.

What you have to realize is that by hosting these Olympics, more attention is focused on exactly the issues you mention. That will not go away after the Olympics.

All of the visitors to Beijing will also get to see what a polluted, overbuilt, sewer it actually is. Don't worry, people will see it for what it is.

And the Athletes deserve their moment to shine. The US embargo of the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, only hurt the athletes.

[Skud]

China to Limit Web Access During Olympic Games - NYTimes.com

Between all the human rights violations in China, their violent suppression of "dissidents", lying left and right about anything asked them, and now restricting press access to the internet while lying about it....before coming out with it, along with the IOC collusion...I'm not watching the summer Olympics. In fact, if I happen to see it mentioned on a news broadcast I'll switch channels. If the news media in the US had any balls they'd pull their reporters out until free access at least was given....but they'd lose too much ad revenue. I hope that people will boycott viewing.

Don't forget the corruption at the top! I'm not watching. The world could use a little less nationalism anyway.

[jaspurr]

Thats a big negative Trooper. How the heck they ever got the Olympics is beyond me. I am just waiting to get tickets for London 2012

[Minerva]

Thats a big negative Trooper. How the heck they ever got the Olympics is beyond me. I am just waiting to get tickets for London 2012

bah, It was supposed to be Madrid 2012

[BigTwinky]

At least Vancouver is getting the winter olympics.

Even if the main road out to Whistler that will be used by athletes for all alpine events had a pretty bad road collapse / landslide, its all good.


On the China topic, I find it deplorable that athletes who are in the long distance running events (and most events taking place in the city) have their health and performance at risk due to the huge smog /pollution issue.

I hear they are moving the long distance events out of the city as again, China promised to clean up their smog issue but they did not

[jaspurr]

bah, It was supposed to be Madrid 2012

I would have preferred Madrid

[mapes]

The only event I give a crap about is the Modern Pentathlon. Hell General George S Patton competed in the event (and did well I might add). Talk about a list of skills that out n out beats Esquires...

Heres a snippet of what it is

The modern pentathlon was invented by the Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. As the events of the ancient pentathlon were modeled after the skills of the ideal soldier of that time, Coubertin created the contest to simulate the experience of a 19th century cavalry soldier behind enemy lines: he must ride an unfamiliar horse, fight with pistol and sword, swim, and run.

Note the unfamiliar horse. The horse you ride is selected by lottery. Pretty cool stuff

As for politics everything that humans do are fodder for politics to think otherwise is naive.

[xGoblin013x]

Well, when the olympics goes on, the media will probably do a couple of snipets a day about how Mao-land has the worst pollution of any country and all the human rights stuff and whatnot.

China's polit-bureau was probably crapping their pants when they were selected, because that meant China's abuses would have the spotlight on them.

So its a kind of poetic justice to have the thing your people desire end up lighting every wrong you did like the Fourth of July. Not to mention all the people who visit China under the guise that they're there to watch the games while they bring information contraband to distribute to the masses.


I'm going to be watching btw... can't miss women's volleyball

[mapes]

Well, when the olympics goes on, the media will probably do a couple of snipets a day about how Mao-land has the worst pollution of any country and all the human rights stuff and whatnot.

China's polit-bureau was probably crapping their pants when they were selected, because that meant China's abuses would have the spotlight on them.

So its a kind of poetic justice to have the thing your people desire end up lighting every wrong you did like the Fourth of July. Not to mention all the people who visit China under the guise that they're there to watch the games while they bring information contraband to distribute to the masses.


I'm going to be watching btw... can't miss women's volleyball

Your kidding right. China doesn't care what we think of them. Look at T-Square.... They ran over people with tanks end result...nothing changed. IF we tried to do something they'll just dump all of their investments in the USA. That would totally screw us.

[Skud]

too late

Your kidding right. China doesn't care what we think of them. Look at T-Square.... They ran over people with tanks end result...nothing changed. IF we tried to do something they'll just dump all of their investments in the USA. That would totally screw us.

They practically own us already...15 percent of our tax dollars goes to payment of the interest on the national debt....

Anyway, a fellow at work said they'll have ping pong. I might watch that, clazy fast ping pong is a hoot!

[Hammy]

Human Rights are not my issue with the games.

Flat out- I just don't like China.
I really do not care for their form of culture, government or the ways in which they do business.

With that in mind, I really dont care to see something happening in a place I compare to hell.

No one in this forum will change my mind on this topic, so before you attempt to respond, please consider that. It's not anti-chinese, in fact the integrated Chinese-American citizens are fantastic people to live with.

-Hammy

[jaspurr]

Human Rights are not my issue with the games.

Flat out- I just don't like China.
I really do not care for their form of culture, government or the ways in which they do business.

With that in mind, I really dont care to see something happening in a place I compare to hell.

No one in this forum will change my mind on this topic, so before you attempt to respond, please consider that. It's not anti-chinese, in fact the integrated Chinese-American citizens are fantastic people to live with.

-Hammy

I can understand your way of thinking but spare a thought for the Chinese people who have to live under the tyranical government. A few making life bad for the majority but some would say that without communism the system would fail. I don't think I will get to see this in my life time.

[juneau]

I won't be watching the games but the opening ceremony was insane.

Here's a little clip. Most opening clips seem to be getting taken down for copyright so it might not be up long.

YouTube - opening countdown beijing olympics

[Thrashdragon]

I won't watch them. Partially because I'm not terribly interested in most of the events, and partially because it's in China. But the sad thing is is that China doesn't care if every person in the world outside of China boycotts it. They don't care about making the athletes, the sponsors, or anyone else happy.

All they care about is that the general population of China watches, and as they have 100% control of the media, they will see only what the Chinese government wants them to see. This Olympics is just a huge propaganda tool for the Chinese government to build pride in their government and their country (the whole world has come to China, all those things they are saying must not be true), and it's working, and the IOC handed it to them on a platter. Idiots.

Every time I hear or see the word China I always hear the bulldozer operators from C&C Generals. "We will build great things for China." Drives me nuts.