Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - 5:09 pm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23581237/
Gross! And how sad that they have to go to such lengths just to have air good enough to breath!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 12:49 am
I remember the Olympics back when our nation had the spine to boycott a totalitarian regime. Moscow might have been grungy and oppressive, but an athlete could at least take a deep breath. Heck, even the '84 games in Los Angeles didn't require you to stroll along Mulholland with a oxygen tank and a mask.
Now, the Chinese are making sure that nobody famous utters the "T" word, ever again. Yes, that is the "official news agency" website. While you are there, enjoy the article about the "unwise" Dalai Lama.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 1:52 am
Hmm . . . maybe tourists and a few rogue atheletes can wear t-shirts with a little man standing in front of a tank?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 5:55 am
I couldn't disagree more with the boycotting of the Olympics, Littlesongs.
Yeah, China's human rights record sucks. Yeah, their pollution sucks. (Like the United States is one to talk! We produce over a quarter of the world's garbage!)
But at the end of the day, the athletes and the fans of the Olympics worldwide are the ones punished. I guarantee you China doesn't give two shits less if we boycott or not, just like the Soviet Union said next to nothing when we boycotted in 1980. What you get is a partial Olympic games, losing the whole meaning of the spirit and gamesmanship the games means in the first place, and a whole lot of "what ifs". It happened in Moscow in 1980 and it happened in Los Angeles in 1984, when the Soviets pulled out in retaliation.
There are other ways to "boycott a totalitarian regime". Punishing our young athletes who have worked their entire lives for this one moment, and taking it away because our governments don't see eye to eye, is wrong.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 1:17 pm
The Olympics are not only the symbol of world at peace but for a select few every four years the granddaddy of all vacation experiences. I would also imagine that aside from all the athletes you have a number of tourists who will make the trip to the Olympics to cheer on there native countries and favorite sports.
Somehow I just can't imagine this being a pleasent vacationing experience.
I wouldn't at all have a problem if certain Western countries and or certain individual athletes boycott the Beijing games. Infact I wouldn't be surprised if we do see individual athletes qualify for the games and then boycott.
Hopefully 2012 will be a prettier picture. BTW who has the 2012 games is it London?
