olympics

[Ohio Buckeye]

Do you watch the summer olympics?
Do you have anyone from your school or state you are pulling for?

[flip]

Yes
Yes, but I haven't been able to see them yet due to the smog

[Romona]

The opening ceremonies are cool.

[flip]

I won't be competing this year because I was unable to find a dialysis center in Bejing.

[paris]

I have been watching the opening ceremonies and they have been incredible.  My 6 yr old grandson is with me tonight, so it has been fun explaining the Olympics and looking at the map for different countries.  He is very curious and is really enjoying the spectacular productions. Absolutely beautiful!     I love the Olympics and the whole concept of coming together.

[Rerun]

OH YEH, they are on!  Thanks for reminding me!  Gotta go!

                       

[MIbarra]

My dad couldn't wait to watch them. He had to make sure I would have the channel that would show the Olympics in my house!  lol 

[flip]

about half the countries I've never heard of

[Mimi]

Awesome!!!!!  China put on a really beautiful show.  It makes the heart feel good to see the world
come together like this.

Mimi

[okarol]

Pretty amazing show, but also pretty long! I thought for a second they were gonna drop the torch guy flying around the stadium.

about half the countries I've never heard of

Only half? More than that for me.

[Chris]

Is it over yet?
Just glad I have another  200 plus channels to watch and many DVD's to watch.

[petey]

Marvin and I love watching the Olympics!  We watched the Opening Ceremony last night -- impressive but mighty, mighty long! 

[bolta72]

I like the track, basketball, and swimming and boxing.

[RichardMEL]

Yes it was pretty good and for once the aussies wore some nice gear and not something stupid... even if we were 3rd last to come out. Thought the Greeks were the worst (most boring) dressed... and thought the caps the US team wore were a bit.. umm... well... sure.. whatever floats your boat!

It was very long everyone at dialysis today were yawning having stayed up till 2am local time to watch it! LOL

[ToddB]

I'm watching!  I LOVED the opening ceremonies!  They said the director had a $300 million budget!!!!!  Truly amazing.

I especially loved the drums at the beginning and the printing blocks.  I couldn't believe that they were operated by people.  The precision was so incredible that I thought it had to be computerized and hydraulics. 

I agree with the hats that the US were wearing.  I couldn't believe it when Costas said the they were hoping to make that hat the US version of the Canada beret from the winter olympics in Salt Lake City.  I don't think so.  The US hat looked like it should be worn by an old man while motoring along the country roads in his Jag E-Type, while the Canadian hat was actually pretty cool.

[flip]

I was really shocked to hear about the brutal attack and murder that happened in Beijing this morning. The victim was the father-in-law of the U.S. Mens Volleyball team coach. His wife remains in critical condition. The assailant commited suicide after the stabbing by jumping off the tower. I hope this turns out to be an isolated incident.

[KT0930]

It got to be so late that I turned the TV off part-way through the parade of nations and missed the torch lighting entirely. Guess I'll have to Google that to see it.

Really sorry to hear about the attack. As flip said, I sure hope this was an isolated incident.

[Rerun]

I'm glad there was a commentator telling us what all the drums and the print heads and water meant.  I was going....."hua"?

[monrein]

I can't help but think about ongoing entrenched human rights abuses, the rounding up of dissidents,the extreme censorship of the media including the internet despite promises to the contrary to the IOC, hellish prisons  almost next-door to shiny new sports venues, holding, among others, people who simply want the freedom to meditate (falun gong), the Tibetan situation, Darfur, all in the background of the lavish spectacle that is the Chinese Olympics.  I even find myself thinking about the prisoners (often held on extremely dubious grounds) selected for death because their organs match the shopping list of Western buyers.  I can't seem to just enjoy the party no matter how hard I try or how much I support the idea of the Olympics and the individual achievements of all the athletes from all the various countries.  I can't seem to get past the deep icky feeling that arises when I think of the international platform that the Olympics has given to an incredibly authoritarian, some  would say fascist, regime.  I think I might, no, I know I would have had similar feelings had I been alive for the 1936 Olympics.  Try as I might, I can't untangle the platform from the politics of the host country.  I don't think boycotting would change a thing but I also don't think the games should have been given to China in the first place.  The only consolation I take is that they weren't awarded to Toronto, where I live.  I want my tax dollars to deal with health funding, pollution, housing for the working poor, the homeless and other tricky urban issues with which we struggle ongoingly.  I think Montreal is still paying off the huge debt they incurred from their hosting of the 1976 Olympics. 

I apologize for sounding so negative about something that on the surface is so beautiful but I am truly torn between my admiration for the athletes wanting to showcase their accomplishments and my dismay at the appalling policies of China's government. 

[ToddB]

I agree with you monrein.  I have a BIG problem with the Olympics being in China.  They are one of the most corrupt countries in the world with one of the worst civil rights records.  then you take into account their treatment of Tibet and the problems in the Sudan and that just solidifies the fact that this country isn't worthy of hosting such a prestigous event.

That said, I just can't get past the fact that it would be fun to show the Chinese that we ARE the best country in the world and take all of their medals!!!!

Just my $.02.

[mcjane]

monrein, Montreal paid off the debt in 2006
I believe it was around 1.5 billion.

Have to agree about China hosting the Olympics, it was the wrong choice. They spent 46 billion & millions people there still earn just 2.00 a day.

As for the opening ceremonies I have to say they were magnificent, but with unlimited funds why wouldn't it be. 

I will still be glued to the TV for the next 16 days though.

[kellyt]

Oooooh!  Our men's gymanastic team is so cute!  And so young!   I love watching the gymnastics portion!    GO USA!          

[KT0930]

kelly, my son saw just a little bit of the men's gymnastics and decided that he wants to start taking lessons. The downside is there's no where for him to do that that's less than 30 minutes away; but the upside is, he's built just right for it - very long and lean.

[pelagia]

I too had really mixed reactions to the opening ceremonies.  Like Monrein, I have significant concerns about China's policies on many, many issues.  In Greece, women carried the Olympic flag -- in China it was the military because 'the military will guarantee stability" (or something like that).    But then they go and project a blue whale on the screen circling the stadium and emphasize that the goal for China is to find a way to have both prosperity and sustainability.  They knew they would have a billion dollar moment and they took full advantage.  The world was their stage last night. 

[RichardMEL]

Well said Monrein... China is shocking in terms of human rights... and just watching the road race the other day with hundreds of police/army along the way and hardly any spectators allowed near (not even families of the riders...WTF??) just underlines the whole thing... and for all that security some guy still goes nuts and killed that American the other day. Also $300 million for that? Think of the homless and poor.. sheesh...

A lot of comments I have read were about the military like ovetones of the opening ceremony - specially the regimented numbers all doing things in unison like clockwork... and I agree. I was watching some of it thinking if someone does something wrong they'll be shipped off to the Gulag.....

sad