Summer Olympics 2008

~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
FACTBOX-China's air pollution standards | Reuters

Storm washes away some of Beijing's smog problems | The Australian

ABC News: Beijing Prepares for Pollution, Protests

Yuck!
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There are bad pollutions everywhere. I know people want to make 'statement' and protest the olympics in Bejing, but what about all the athletes that work so hard everyday of their lives to make it to this fantastic stage and have it be played down by some civil rights activists. I am not excusing China or any country for that matter for atrocities caused to their own peoples. I just feel this takes away from acknowledgement and appreciation of those wonderful people who are extremely greatful to be there. I have done qualifiers at international events myself and understand the daily discipline and dedication it takes just to compete, let alone win.

I have my own reserved discust for things that happen behind the curtains in a lot of countries, yes even my own, but there is limitations to the control I have over a particular situation. There is no problem whatsoever in being an activist for a cause! Do not misunderstand me there. I do though, have issues with using an event such as this as a platform towards negative emotions. I love the olympics, I love all the great people who work so hard to make it happen, and especially the dedication of those who can serve as an inspiration to me for reaching my own goals in life.

There is place and time for activism and expression of speech, but please give the due respect to all the great people there, recognize [their] qualities, after all there are just not much things on earth where so many countries can get together, get along, and compete for one reasons....passion and love. It's great to see that, hey we're all just people, and isn't it a good feeling to see all these people together getting along, setting egos aside and wanting to just play the game with the 'best' from everywhere.
 
I understand. That's true! It's so terrible! I hope everyone are safe and be health during game begin. How about in Utah's pollution? I am wonder.

hohDougRN said:
There are bad pollutions everywhere. I know people want to make 'statement' and protest the olympics in Bejing, but what about all the athletes that work so hard everyday of their lives to make it to this fantastic stage and have it be played down by some civil rights activists. I am not excusing China or any country for that matter for atrocities caused to their own peoples. I just feel this takes away from acknowledgement and appreciation of those wonderful people who are extremely greatful to be there. I have done qualifiers at international events myself and understand the daily discipline and dedication it takes just to compete, let alone win.

I have my own reserved discust for things that happen behind the curtains in a lot of countries, yes even my own, but there is limitations to the control I have over a particular situation. There is no problem whatsoever in being an activist for a cause! Do not misunderstand me there. I do though, have issues with using an event such as this as a platform towards negative emotions. I love the olympics, I love all the great people who work so hard to make it happen, and especially the dedication of those who can serve as an inspiration to me for reaching my own goals in life.

There is place and time for activism and expression of speech, but please give the due respect to all the great people there, recognize [their] qualities, after all there are just not much things on earth where so many countries can get together, get along, and compete for one reasons....passion and love. It's great to see that, hey we're all just people, and isn't it a good feeling to see all these people together getting along, setting egos aside and wanting to just play the game with the 'best' from everywhere.
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oh it has been BLAH smoky, but today was great. A front blew through last night and the air was much clearer today. :)
 
hohDougRN said:
There are bad pollutions everywhere. I know people want to make 'statement' and protest the olympics in Bejing, but what about all the athletes that work so hard everyday of their lives to make it to this fantastic stage and have it be played down by some civil rights activists. I am not excusing China or any country for that matter for atrocities caused to their own peoples. I just feel this takes away from acknowledgement and appreciation of those wonderful people who are extremely greatful to be there. I have done qualifiers at international events myself and understand the daily discipline and dedication it takes just to compete, let alone win.

I have my own reserved discust for things that happen behind the curtains in a lot of countries, yes even my own, but there is limitations to the control I have over a particular situation. There is no problem whatsoever in being an activist for a cause! Do not misunderstand me there. I do though, have issues with using an event such as this as a platform towards negative emotions. I love the olympics, I love all the great people who work so hard to make it happen, and especially the dedication of those who can serve as an inspiration to me for reaching my own goals in life.

There is place and time for activism and expression of speech, but please give the due respect to all the great people there, recognize [their] qualities, after all there are just not much things on earth where so many countries can get together, get along, and compete for one reasons....passion and love. It's great to see that, hey we're all just people, and isn't it a good feeling to see all these people together getting along, setting egos aside and wanting to just play the game with the 'best' from everywhere.
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i understand but i would agree of your post.But i do love watch on tv of Olympics also.

i know in mostly country have serious security for more reasons but im sure they police they can protect the Olympics,bomb,whatevers they dont hurt the Olympics superstars country and ALSO USA! im sure Bejjing police would handle with that during Olympics weeks im pray for that! that remind of 1996 Olympics bombing you never forgot?
 
JClarke said:
Alanta, georgia bombing?
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yeah that happened in 12 years ago (1996) killed people and some injury im not sure who would be on list of victims on 1996 Olympics bombing.

im sure Olympics needs more serious security guard around somewhere and police all the times during day of Olympics in Bejjing they dont get serious in Bejjing.
 
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IOC to review Olympic readiness
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | IOC to review Olympic readiness

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is meeting in Beijing with air pollution, internet censorship and doping high on the agenda.

The build-up to the opening of the Games next Friday has been clouded by a number of controversial issues.

President Jacques Rogge arrived in China with his work complicated by a row over restricted internet access.

Now a formerly banned Greek athlete has threatened to sue the IOC if she is not allowed to compete.

Leading members of the IOC which make up the IOC's Executive Board will want to know why some politically sensitive websites were blocked despite a promise that foreign reporters would be given complete access to the web.

Air pollution also remains a big problem.

The Chinese authorities have been working on improving the dirty air that hangs over Beijing but athletes remain concerned.

Steve Roush, head of sports performance with the United States team, said he is monitoring the situation and is optimistic.

"We do have fallback plans if all of a sudden it deteriorates to the point where the health and safety of our athletes might be in jeopardy," he said.

"But I don't think that if the air quality was at that level that the IOC would even allow for the competition to take place."

Doping scandals

The IOC was going to discuss whether to allow Katerina Thanou to compete at the Games, but it seems a final decision has been delayed until next Thursday.

She was one of two Greek sprinters involved in a drug scandal that completely dominated the start of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

She withdrew from those Games and has since served a two year doping ban given to her by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAFF).

But the IOC has reserved the right to consider her eligibility for these Games.

Ms Thanou's lawyer has threatened to sue the IOC if she is barred from competing.

The matter is muddied by the reallocation of the medals won by Marion Jones at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The American athlete has returned her three gold and two bronze medals after admitting she had been taking banned substances.

One of her titles came in the 100m and the IOC must decide whether to promote the second placed runner instead - and that is Katerina Thanou.
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DVDFreaker, you're not alone. I don't care about Olympics either
 
Rain, thunder, typhoons forecast for Games ...

Olympics: Rain, thunder, typhoons forecast for Games 2008 Beijing Olympic Games - News - Yahoo!7 Sport


Olympics: Rain, thunder, typhoons forecast for Games
AFP - August 3, 2008, 5:37 pm

Weather forecasters on Sunday predicted thunder and rain in Beijing on the day of the Olympic opening ceremony and warned that typhoons could disrupt events in other host cities.

Organisers have repeatedly said rain is their biggest worry ahead of Friday's opening ceremony, which will feature more than 10,000 performers and a massive fireworks display.

But top officials from the Beijing Meteorological Bureau confirmed that bad weather was certain for the August 8 event, although they held out hope that the skies may clear for the evening ceremony.

"Before and immediately after August 8, we will not see persistent heavy rainfall," said Wang Jianjie, deputy director of the bureau.

"Specifically on the 8th, the weather in Beijing will be cloudy and overcast and we will see some rain showers and thunder showers."

She said that forecasting technology was not accurate enough to predict exactly when rain would actually fall on any particular day or whether it would disrupt the evening opening ceremony.

"It is impossible to tell at what time the rain will fall on August 8, but we cannot exclude that there will be periodic rain then," she told a press conference Sunday, a day of brilliant blue skies.

Meanwhile officials said that they did not hold out much hope that China's artificial weather manipulation technology would help to improve the chances of a rain-free opening ceremony.

Zhang Qiang, head of the Beijing artificial weather manipulation bureau, said that no decision had been made on whether it would use cloud-seeding technology in an effort to prevent rain on the opening day.

"Our technology is still at an experimental stage," she said. "And for the moment we can only work with small clouds. If the conditions are appropriate we may try to put in some plans."

Beijing has claimed limited success in the past using chemicals to seed clouds to prevent rain.

As for typhoons, Wang said that two or three were expected to blow in from the Pacific Ocean during the August 8-24 Games and that they would be tracked and monitored throughout the period.

The storms could hit Hong Kong, affecting the staging of the Olympic equestrian events there, and could also disrupt the parts of the Olympic football tournament being staged in coastal Shanghai.

Wang also said that the port city of Qingdao in northeastern China, where the Olympic sailing competition is being held, could also be affected.

However, she said any disruption that the typhoons could bring to the Olympic events would not be a major problem.

"Normally a typhoon can affect an area for one or two days," she said. "It would not have a long-term effect but would only have an effect for a limited period."
 
Olympics will be safe, says China
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Olympics will be safe, says China

Days before the Olympic Games open in Beijing, the Chinese authorities have said they are confident that athletes and spectators will be safe.

This assurance comes after an attack which killed 16 policemen in the western region of Xinjiang.

A spokesman for the Beijing Games Organising Committee said preparations had been made to meet every conceivable threat at Games' venues.

Chinese media have blamed separatist Muslim militants for the attack.

"China has focused on strengthening security and protection around Olympic venues and at the Olympics Village, so Beijing is already prepared to respond to any threat," Beijing Games spokesman Sun Weide was quoted as saying.

The International Olympic Committee said it also believed the Chinese authorities had done everything possible "to ensure the security and safety of everyone at the Games".

Journalists 'beaten'

In Monday's attack two men reportedly drove up to a border post in a rubbish truck and threw two grenades, before moving in to attack the policemen with knives.

Both attackers were captured during the raid near the city of Kashgar, Xinhua state news agency reported.

Kashgar, known as Kashi in Chinese, is some 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Beijing, near the border with Tajikistan.

Although the episode happened a long way away from Beijing, the very fact that it happened four days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, will make the organisers nervous, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Xinjiang.

About 100,000 police and soldiers are on standby ahead of Friday's opening ceremony, and the already tight security has been stepped up in Tiananmen Square.

Security has also been beefed up in Xinjiang, Xinhua news agency said. Police intensified road checks and increased personnel at government offices, schools and hospitals, the agency said.

Meanwhile Japan says it plans to protest after two journalists covering the attack said they were detained and beaten by police.

The journalists, one from a regional daily the Chunichi Shinbun and the other from Nippon television, said they were held for two hours in Kashgar and struck by police.

"Our embassy is of course gathering information from the authorities," Reuters quoted Japan's top government spokesman, Nobutaka Machimura, as saying.

"I believe there is no mistake, so we plan to protest strongly."

Uighur suppression

Xinjiang, in the north-west of the country, is home to the Muslim Uighur people. Uighur separatists have waged a low-level campaign against Chinese rule for decades.

Human rights groups say Beijing is suppressing the rights of Uighurs.

Last week, a senior Chinese army officer warned that Islamic separatists were the biggest danger to the Olympics.

Col Tian Yixiang of the Olympics security command centre told reporters the main threat came from the "East Turkestan terrorist organisation".

The term is used by the government to refer to Islamist separatists in Xinjiang.

Late last month a group called the Turkestan Islamic Party said it had blown up buses in Shanghai and Yunnan, killing five people.

But China denied that the explosions were acts of terrorism.

The Washington-based IntelCenter, which monitors terrorism communications, said the Turkestan Islamic Party had released a video entitled Our Blessed Jihad in Yunnan.

In it, the group's leader, Commander Seyfullah, said it was responsible for several attacks and threatened the Olympics.

"The Chinese have haughtily ignored our warnings," IntelCenter quoted him as saying.

"The Turkestan Islamic Party volunteers... have started urgent actions."
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