Beijing Fumbles the transition

I always said China shouldn't have gotten the Olympics. Oh sure, they pulled it off with style and pizazz, convincing (nearly) everyone that they were ready for the 21st (or, at least 20th) century.

The homeless, the sweatshop working poor, and grieving mothers of children fallen victim to governmental cheapskate syndrome were hidden away. Toothy grins and eagerly waving hands greeted tourists, Olympic junkies, and anyone glued to their TVs.

But all that aside. How do you turn that marvelous architectural work of art, the Bird's Nest Stadium, into an empty overpriced souvenir shop for tourists? Please, someone explain this to me!

2008 Beijing Olympics revisited

My views on China hosting the 2008 Olympics are pretty clear: I don't think they should have gotten them. However this article in the NY Times gave me some perspective.

I knew that the Chines suffered from some kind of complex when it came to the rest of the world: after all, we (and by "we" I mean the international community) use China as our poster child for "Everything Gone Wrong" in a nation.

My blog post listing just a few of the technical difficulties facing the Olympics this year highlights some of criticism being leveled at China. And in reading todays article, I'll admit, I was knocked a few pegs off my superior ladder.

That being said, I have to answer the authors rhetorical question:

"Before we put China on trial, though, we should ask a question about the other part of the argument: how good are the Olympics, again, exactly?"

Yes, the Olympics has a history of cheating, doping, lies, etc., and the nations hosting them have had all kinds of skeletons in their closets. But, as with all things, should we not aim to live and be the ideal of the Olympics? Yes, we will fail, but the goal is how close can we come.

Although this article provided me some needed insight, I still think, that given the unspoken goal(s) of the Olympics, China was not the best location for the 2008 Olympics.

2008 Beijing Olympics

I am an Olympic Junkie.

When they came to Utah, I became the poster child for couch potatoes everywhere. I was up by 7 to watch morning highlights, sat there all afternoon, and only shut the TV off when coverage was over. Winter Olympics in Italy I was no different. I pulled 8am-8pm shifts on the couch, ogling Olympians everywhere and wishing I could be like them.

This year I'll be watching for a different reason. In the past I watched to see the best compete. In a few short days, I'll watch to see how big a disaster it will be. I'd like to be an optimist, but deep down (ok, not all that deep) I'm a pessimist.

Who thought following Utah, Greece, Italy...with Beijing...was somehow a good idea?

For example...

Internet Censorship
Environmental Disasters
Allegations of Cheating
PR Control (what protesters, where?)
Attempts to control foreign media

...are just a few things challenging the Chinese and my hopes for a successful Olympics.

What do you think?