The Olympics

[HappyFeat]

I was wondering if anybody is watching the Olympics. Since their are people from all over the world here, I would love to hear some thoughts on the Olympics since they just don't seem to be as big of a deal as they were 20 years or so ago.

[Guest Loveshiheels]

Saw some of the Judo Last Sunday for about a hour and thats it.

[highestheels]

About to watch Paula in the Marathon. I am more interested now the cycling and athletics has started!

[admirer5577]

As little as possible which mean I try to see the comprimated version they show here each night for like 5-6 minutes. That is enough for me and still I am not totally out of any breakfast table discussion at the office.

[Elegant]

I don't watch, and I don't think I would even if I were interested in sports. First of all, the slavery and human right issues in China repulse me. Second, it seems that people are bombarded with news, relations etc. from the olympics - turn on any mainstream television or radio, and you'll quickly discover that you can't avoid the topic if you're not interested.

[Bubba136]

Don't blame you, Elegant. If I lived in your neck of the woods, my attention would be focused on the latest maneuvers by the Russia - - which don't bode well for the status quo in Eastern Europe (or the rest of the world, for that matter).

[jojo]

The Olympics are today all about the sponsoring commercial Companies - that is why they are being held in China (BIG market)! The real news is Russia's invasion of Georgia - yet even the BBC lead the News with the Olympics.

[roz]

They seem as big a deal as ever IMHO, bigger probably, particularly as GB are doing really really well this year.

[Guy N. Heels]

While I am all in favor of good athletics, both style & form, I find myself unable to get truly interested in this year's Olympic games. For one thing, it is apparent to me that China is using the games as a type of "spingboard" to announce their emerging superpower status to the world. So great! Like the world is really in need of another totalitarian superpower. I find it interesting to note that in ancient times, if a man had a particularly unrulely slave that oftentimes he would tell the slave that unless his behavior improved that he would be required to accompany his master to the Olympic Games. Reportedly this was usually enough to bring even the most stubborn slave into line.

[Bubba136]

I find it interesting to note that in ancient times, if a man had a particularly unrulely slave that oftentimes he would tell the slave that unless his behavior improved that he would be required to accompany his master to the Olympic Games. Reportedly this was usually enough to bring even the most stubborn slave into line.

That's a new one on me. I hadn't heard that before. (Perhaps it was the requirement that all athletes had to compete nude did the trick? )

[johnieheel]

Don't believe in tv . Only get a glimps in the lunch room at break if I'm not watching my ipod.

[bladerunner]

I am so busy being self employed i get little time to watch much,but i do try and watch the athletics now that the bbc do alot of re_runs!

[Trinity]

I guess i am a bit different to most here. I love the olympics, and it is about sport, not politics. Let the politicians deal with the politics, and let the athletes concentrate on their sport. Athletes dedicate their lives to these sports, and we should celebrate their achievements, That sport is their passion, and nothing should detract from that. Come on Team GB.

[bootluvr]

Like watching as much of it when I can, except for Basketball since the Pros were allowed to play in them. To me that defeats the concept of Olympics being the Common Man/Woman Athlete(?) throughout the World.

[Bubba136]

China and the Olympics It is difficult, if not impossible, for most westerners to understand Chinese psychology and concept of reasoning. What most of us in the west would find logical would, in some cases, be unthinkable to them. On one of the first of my many visits to China on “official business,” in the late 80's, our delegation was treated to an “Official welcoming banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. After dinner the delegation was invited to attended a “cultural performance” in a theater adjacent to the banquet hall where we were treated with the obligatory western songs – (“Doe, a dear, a female dear, fa, a long long way to go”) - as well as to some classical Chinese music and performances of some of the most accomplished and amazing acrobats and dancers that I have ever seen. The performers did some of the most impossible tricks and movements during their time on stage. The whole experience was “outstanding” and greatly enjoyed by everyone. After the performance, as we were being driven back to our quarters at Diaoyouti State Guest House complex, I fell into discussion with one of our hosts about the skill and talent the performers exhibited. He told me that under the “new regime” the Chinese would never settle for second best. For centuries the Chinese people were thought of as a “second class” society by westerners and that the “people” were determined to prove to the entire world that China was a power to be dealt with. And, I would see one day that this goal would be achieved. With that preface, he went on to explain how the performers were selected at a very young age, removed from their families and sent to a special school to be trained in the disciplines they were chosen to learn. He said that with more than 3 billion people to choose from, it was simple to identify the very talented at an early age and then, as their training progressed through the different stages and as the trainees grew, the under achievers were “weeded out” with only the most talented remaining to continue training. By the time the candidates reached age of 15 or so, those that remained at the official training school were the best that the country had to offer in the skills they had learned. The performers we witnessed that evening were the best the country had to offer and he was excited to hear that our delegation was impressed by their skill and talent and had enjoyed the performance as much as we did. As I watched several of the events that took place over the past few days, the words of our host at that banquet long ago kept echoing in my ears. It was obvious that everyone of the Chinese athletes not only had undergone and endured such a training regime, but were "expected” to win gold medals in every discipline and event listed on the program. This was their exhibition. China's time to shine and put the country and people of China foremost in the eyes of the entire world. “Hey everyone, we finally made it. “We are a world power and will have to be “dealt” with on that basis from this time onward.”

[Guy N. Heels]

Okay, I just gave the short version. But I am glad you were able to flesh-in the details for us, as most people in the western world have little or no understanding of just what is meant by the term "totalitarian regime". Ronald Reagan referred to it as an "evil empire". So now you can take yer pick.

[Allu(M)]

I am interested in some sports in Olympics. Men 100 m Swimming (Hanna-Maria Seppälä, Phelps) Javelin men (Pitkämäki, Järvenpää, Thorkildsen) Volley ball I don't care about China as host. But it is annoying that Russian and Georgia started war during olympics. Another annoying thing is that Ms. Sari Multala was not selected for women's Laser radial class competitor, thought she won European Laser Standard & Laser Radial Championship 2008.

[Bubba136]

Not being an avid fan of sail boat racing, why wasn't she selected to participate? Didn't she finish high enough in the preliminary races?

[Allu(M)]

There was some national pre-selection races early in the summer. Ms Tenkanen was that time a little better than Ms. Multala. Multala's racing career is phenomenomal. She was silver medalist in 2007 ISAF Sailing world championchips. That silver medal was the reason for our country to send a sailor to Laser radial class in Olympics. In Midsummer Ms. Multala won european championchip. We had national olympic committee which selects (major competence) our sportmen and sportwomen to olympics but national sailing accociation (lower competence) selected Ms. Tenkanen and national olympic committee didn't use it's major competence to select our best sailor.

[Bubba136]

Okay, I just gave the short version.

But I am glad you were able to flesh-in the details for us, as most people in the western world have little or no understanding of just what is meant by the term "totalitarian regime". Ronald Reagan referred to it as an "evil empire". So now you can take yer pick.

In the interest of not being "controversial," my not mentioning anything political about China's "totalitarian" government or the fact that the total regimentation of their performers and participants, was intentional.

The hundreds of people dancing with flaming sticks in the opening ceremony, all perfectly synchronized, moving mechanically in unison through their routine, to the dozen or so people that operate the "dust mops" that clean the wooden floors of the badminton, basketball and indoor volleyball courts. Every move perfectly choreographed and performed without blemish, as if their future life depends upon their not causing embarrassment to their country so as not to "lose face" in the eyes of the entire universe.

While, on the surface to some, it might look "wonderful" to see so many performers, performing so perfectly, all at the same time, while to others it totally typifies present day Chinese society, as they wonder where "Chinese individualism" is?

(In that light, I wonder if we'll ever hear anything again about that young lady that fell off of the balance beam during her routine, winding up in 3rd place and a bronze metal for the Chinese? )

[thedesigner]

bladerunner, u an me have the same sense of humour, which went above evryone else, must have mental blocks.... The bi-cycling was fun... Mind you, i thought the pentathlon was writing a long book in the shortest time... As Mrs Malaprop said, i loved the shutting the pot....

[roniheels]

The Olympics weren't as exciting as when I was younger. I watched bits and pieces but nothing extensive. I was glad to see the "Redeem Team" win the gold medal, but like the anouncers said, the total payroll for that group of basketball players was over 500 million dollars.

[thedesigner]

Hang about, why don't they have a ' run a mile in heels' event ? We could all go in training for the relay !!

[HappyFeat]

Hang about, why don't they have a ' run a mile in heels' event ?

We could all go in training for the relay !!

We certainly have enough countries represented here! Aren't the next Olympics in London? Maybe we could get a few people working in that!