NationStates Jolt Archive

As a personal note, I was lucky enough to be standing on top of the Beijing Hotel on Tiananmen Square the night Beijing won the Olympics, watching 1 million people stream down Jianguomen Avenue into the square and then joining for an all night celebration.

There was a tense moment when the police lined where the avenue enters the square, a collective holding of breath to see what would happen, and then seeing the police give way as the crowd surged through.

My colleague, a Chinese girl, told me something that has remained with me. She said that in 1999, when China celebrated 50 years of the Communist Party, everyone was forced to join but they did not hold it in their hearts - yet for China to be granted the Olympics meant so much to them, they felt it was really for the people of China.

These days I wonder whether they were betrayed.

The Games, which begin in August, are already inescapable in China. Everywhere one looks one finds the official logo, as sponsors of every stripe attempt to cash in on the event. The news is filled with countdowns (there are 209 days remaining), and snippets about milestones passed and great hurdles overcome.

To a certain extent, all of this is perfectly normal, but there is undeniably a dimension of political manipulation to the hoopla, a gigantic, carefully staged exercise in groupthink, that makes China's hosting of Olympics quite unlike previous versions of the Games, say in Athens or Atlanta.

Then this happened, I can't think of an equivalent in the US, it would be like Hillary Clinton stepping forward unannounced at the Inaugural Speech to announce the same.

I admire this woman for many reasons...

The matter in question arose last month when Hu Ziwei, a well-known Chinese television personality, burst onto the stage during a lavish ceremony where the state broadcaster, CCTV, was inaugurating its new Olympics sports channel.

There stood Hu's husband, Zhang Bin, who is also a well-known sports anchor, and suddenly, the neatly dressed woman began speaking in a calm voice about her supposed discovery of his love affair with another woman.

On the surface, claims like hers that her conjugal betrayal had anything to do with the celebration of China's upcoming Games may seem farfetched, even if Hu's husband was the deputy of state television's sports news department and she had recently hosted an Olympics-related program on Beijing TV.

But many Chinese received Hu's words as far more than the hysterical ranting of woman wronged, unleashing a torrent of caustic commentary about a subject that Chinese have been endlessly told they are unanimously delighted about: the hosting of the Olympics.

"Some say Hu Ziwei inappropriately seized the opportunity to say inappropriate things at an inappropriate occasion, but that's wrong," wrote one blogger. "The press conference of CCTV Olympics Channel is the most appropriate occasion to point out the danger of a political Olympics. A CCTV set which always lies and releases fake news is the most appropriate venue to speak out about individual and national truth."

Full story, which is worth reading, to be found here (http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/11/asia/letter.php?page=1).

As a wider question, what are your feelings about any Olympics? A celebration of the feats and endurance of mankind or huge corporate-infested waste of time?

The Olympics is just another extension of 'My Country Is Better Than Your Country', the way I see it. Just another waste of time, used to compensate for insecurities and justify the existence of 'national pride' in the first place. A sad thing, and that's not even going into corporate exploitation.


China is the pinnacle of this, really.

As a wider question, what are your feelings about any Olympics? A celebration of the feats and endurance of mankind or huge corporate-infested waste of time?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Jones

First the winner was awarded a simple laurel wreath, then they were awarded medals while they stood and listened to their national anthem play. Now, the "winners" should be simply met by three medical technicians with equipment for drawing and testing blood ready and waiting. Once so drawn and tested, the appropriate Olympic committee will officially determine which biotech corporation wins Gold, Silver, or Bronze.

The spirit of the Olympics is pretty well dead.

It's a wealthy man's sport now. Many times the people in the hosting cities can't even afford to go to the games.

I have watched the games for many years and frankly for the first time I really don't care to see them this time. For some reason it feels to me this is more about China then it about the games.

I don't know. I might turn them on but probably not.

As a personal note, I was lucky enough to be standing on top of the Beijing Hotel on Tiananmen Square the night Beijing won the Olympics, watching 1 million people stream down Jianguomen Avenue into the square and then joining for an all night celebration.
That must have been awesome spectacle to witness.

As a wider question, what are your feelings about any Olympics? A celebration of the feats and endurance of mankind or huge corporate-infested waste of time?
I don't like what the Olympics has become, and I honestly can't see it continuing the way it is for very much longer. The costs of hosting it are finally getting to the point of it becoming just far too prohibitive to make it worthwhile.
As for China hosting it, I find it appalling. For many reasons:
The IOC have turned a blind eye to the massive human rights abuse within China.
The PRC will use this event as a horrendous, sickening propaganda campaign within China to continue oppressing it's people.
The PRC will also use to mount an almost as sickening propaganda campaign throughout the world telling everyone how wonderful they are and how hunky-dory China and it's people are.
The only thing more sickening than this is the fact most will fall for it. Especially the corporations who care not one wit about human rights, just the fact there's 1.4 billion potential consumers and cheap labour force.
The PRC, in it's desperation to ensure their propaganda works will make damn sure that China wins more medals than any other nation. How? Here's a hint: something like 90% of all illegal steriods, hGH, testosterone and other banned body-altering substances have been found to originate from China. Look for Chinese women athletes winning substantially more than the men (testosterone being far more effective in women than men). If any are found to be doped, it'll doubtless be an 'isolated incidence' due to 'greedy rural coach' a or possibly 'corrupt minor official' and not a nationally instituted, centrally controlled and systematically administered series of drug abuse.

I could go on, but you probably get the idea I'm not a big supported of this year's Olympics. I for one am not going.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Jones
The problem her guilty verdict raised was how to distribute the medals. iirc in one of her races she won, the 4th place-getter had also been found guilty of doping at a later meet. Should that person be now entitled to an Olympic bronze medal, when it's extremely likely they were also juiced at the Olympics?
How far down the line do you go?

I feel sorry for the others in the relay team who are likely to be stripped. Assuming they were clean, they now have nothing to show for their years of training and effort just because someone else decided to cheat.

For the most part, the Olympic Games bore me. Fencing is interesting, as are the javelin, shot put, and hammer events, and the pentathalon, shooting, and archery - but that won't be shown on TV. Instead, all I'll see (If I watch anything) would be the track events and swimming. Big whoop. There's even talk of adding ballroom dancing to the games. Who cares?

On the bright side, IF China is planning any sort of doomsday attack (as some conspiracists suggest) it won't happen 'til the Olympics are over.

At least the Winter Games include skiing and snowboarding.

Meh I'm not a big Olympic Fan, I just get bored with the whole thing. Basically if it's not about airplanes, Matrix, Trains, or has Explosions or guys hitting other guys, then I lose interest and move on to other things.

I wish they'd drop all the team sports (and a few others) at the Olympics. Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Softball, etc. None of them need to be there. It just makes the Games bloated, long, boring and diminishes the value of the medals.

The problem her guilty verdict raised was how to distribute the medals. iirc in one of her races she won, the 4th place-getter had also been found guilty of doping at a later meet. Should that person be now entitled to an Olympic bronze medal, when it's extremely likely they were also juiced at the Olympics?
How far down the line do you go?


Until the legitimate athletes and organizers decide to take their sports back, I say screw 'em all. The best I can do is ensure that all televisions and computers within my control are either off or doing something other than following the Olympics.

If it provokes this sort of debate I think some good might come from it - to make people so proud and then so overtly corrupt that, previously corruption has always been felt on a local level as people deal with it in their own lives - the Olympics provide a national platform - I'm going to try and find a subtitled Youtube excerpt - here's unsubtitled - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga9hZCz1MnQ

So Chinese are now airing their dirty laundry on Television? They are becoming like Americans! :eek:

I agree with a lot of it being boring. The big problem with the Olympics is just the political nonsense. Not only in choosing the venues, but the judging and which sports are selected. I think boycotts are so ridiculous. It's supposed to be about athletic competition, that's it. If they could just stop all the entertainment and political bs, people might actually start paying attention to the competitions and not just the idea of the games. I find a lot of the other stuff to be as horrible and unnecessary as things like the pledge ceremony sporting events and the awful music half-time shows. I just wish they could just give the audience an intermission and then start playing again instead of having another washed up musician or pop idiot come out and make me change the channel.

*snip China disgraceful*

Hu continued, citing the words of an unnamed French diplomat, saying: "Until China is able to start exporting its values, it won't be able to become a great power. For us to appear so prim and proper, yet Zhang Bin can't even be brought to face his own - he won't even face his hurt wife. I think China, as a - to succeed as a great power - don't any of you have a conscience at all?" The men in suits approached yet again attempting to remove her, but the diminutive lady was having none of it. "You let me go," she exclaimed, pulling herself free. "We're so far from being a great country."

If it provokes this sort of debate I think some good might come from it - to make people so proud and then so overtly corrupt that, previously corruption has always been felt on a local level as people deal with it in their own lives - the Olympics provide a national platform - I'm going to try and find a subtitled Youtube excerpt - here's unsubtitled - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga9hZCz1MnQ

EDIT: Doesn't seem to be one so here's a translation:

Hu Ziwei:...but there is one day, i am not here in the role of a TV host. but the wife of Mr. Zhang Bin who's standing here, to tell you...(interruption)...just leave me for one minute! Get your hands off me!

Today is a special day for the Beijing Games Channel and a special day for Mr. Zhang Bin, actually for me too because just 2 hours earlier I learned that [this man] beside me, Mr. Zhang Bin was sharing his "happy" moments with another cheating woman!

Next year will be the Olympics and people all across the world will have eyes on China. However, a French Foreign Minister once said - 'if in terms of values, the Chinese people' - (offstage:"please don't shoot" [pictures]) what does all of this mean to us? Am I right?" (staff come over to grab her), How dare you gentlemen be so rude to a feeble lady? Why are you doing this now?

And here I am just with the last word, let us be opponents with two noble heads up [means: let's fight fairly/honorably] but the French minister once said that - 'Until she can export her cultural standards, China can hardly be called a superpower' - Now here standing in the spotlight the sanctimonious 'Mister' Zhang Bin, when he can not face the filth inside his own heart, When he doesn't even dare to face his insulted wife, I evaluate China as a...to become a superpower... have you any conscience! Get your hands off me!...China is far from being a superpower.

Today will be the last Sunday (of this year) and tomorrow everyone will enjoy a happy holiday, but not for me and Zhang Bin...can China be better (unsure) I am very sorry, that I..but I know...I am very sorry!

So Chinese are now airing their dirty laundry on Television? They are becoming like Americans! :eek:

Well for her to do it at that time, on that channel - well it sure was brave - there were, seemingly unfounded, reports of her being arrested and she's sure unlikely to present ever again.

She's a hero to many Chinese though.

It does seem like a simple case of a woman scorned but it strikes a lot deeper in terms of officials of the CCP being morally if not outright corrupt. You can't be a main presenter, if not any presenter, without being a member of the party.

So it speaks to many people's pent up frustration with the party.

The Olympics is just another extension of 'My Country Is Better Than Your Country', the way I see it.
...China is the pinnacle of this, really.

Olympics is just market - the sponsors' wettest dreams.
China is the ultimate market.
China '08 is the pinnacle of this.

(and that's not even mentioning doping)

I really don't give a fuck about Olympics.

It does seem like a simple case of a woman scorned but it strikes a lot deeper in terms of officials of the CCP being morally if not outright corrupt. You can't be a main presenter, if not any presenter, without being a member of the party.

So it speaks to many people's pent up frustration with the party.
...because one man cheated on his wife the entire party is corrupt? I really think that you're reading a bit much into this.

I really don't give a fuck about Olympics.

next you will be suggesting using the money and inner city land to build crazy things like parks and schools ;)

...because one man cheated on his wife the entire party is corrupt? I really think that you're reading a bit much into this.

Or you're not reading the article - I'm not writing from my point of view.

Or you're not reading the article - I'm not writing from my point of view.
Yeah, and maybe you're not the only one reading too much into it.

Yeah, and maybe you're not the only one reading too much into it.

Ok :(

Well, I supose that being an athlete and an Athens habitant I have a rather spheric view over that issue.
1) Of course Olympics has nothing to do with tha so called "nobility", but I honestly belive that they never had. Since they became an international event they only play a role in politics, and before that it was much more of a circus.
2) Those that take part in it, by no means they do it "for the game". Thus they prefer ruining their bodies for qualification. And that goes really down, even to those who dont manage to participate. Simply the anti doping effort is a bit slower to the pro doping.
3)Money in it is the most important thing. Racism and national pride closely second. 75% of the olympic games participants in europe's most racist state (my country, greece) is not even greek, and yet this dont bring any thoughts to my fellow citizens...
4)China, that corrupted precapitalist state want to rise its status by inviting people over to watch the greatness of the people state. Its simply irony.
Yet, sporting is always good for you and intresting for the others. So I supose I'll let those rich slaves die in their 40s by liver cancer for my entertainment... And I hope I see some even more intresting stuff:mp5::mp5::mp5::sniper::sniper:

next you will be suggesting using the money and inner city land to build crazy things like parks and schools ;)

...I've already done that.
Everytime someone suggest that Milan should place an olympic bid, I campaign AGAINST - calling for building parks and more tramway and tube lines instead.

Well, I supose that being an athlete and an Athens habitant I have a rather spheric view over that issue.
1) Of course Olympics has nothing to do with tha so called "nobility", but I honestly belive that they never had. Since they became an international event they only play a role in politics, and before that it was much more of a circus.
2) Those that take part in it, by no means they do it "for the game". Thus they prefer ruining their bodies for qualification. And that goes really down, even to those who dont manage to participate. Simply the anti doping effort is a bit slower to the pro doping.
3)Money in it is the most important thing. Racism and national pride closely second. 75% of the olympic games participants in europe's most racist state (my country, greece) is not even greek, and yet this dont bring any thoughts to my fellow citizens...
4)China, that corrupted precapitalist state want to rise its status by inviting people over to watch the greatness of the people state. Its simply irony.
Yet, sporting is always good for you and intresting for the others. So I supose

Someone (was it Mr. Hobos?) recently wrote about the ongoing issues at Sydney, no dustbins among others - did the Olympics do any good for Athens?

I also went to the Korea/Japan World Cup, where the atmosphere was simply amazing - I watched USA-Korea in the main square - electric - and France-Denmark at the stadium, where we, in France colours, played mini-football with all the Danish supporters before the game - incredibly friendly.

So I'm wondering if that sort of atmosphere is present at the Olympics as well.

I might well pop up to Beijing for the Olympics, not so much for the events but for the surrounding atmosphere.

So I'm wondering if that sort of atmosphere is present at the Olympics as well.

I might well pop up to Beijing for the Olympics, not so much for the events but for the surrounding atmosphere.
I'm picking that the atmosphere will be very carefully controlled. The PRC doesn't like surprises, as well you should know. They've been very carefully training their people into how to behave at the Olympics for over 2 years now.
It'll all be a very laboriously managed stage show.
Also, the 'threat' of terrorism will make sure that anything out of place (like a few ppl having spontaneous fun) will be quickly stamped out by the local goon squad.
They selling 90+% of tickets to mainlanders only, so you can just imagine what the crowd will be like towards the Chinese athletes and towards the non-Chinese athletes. These ppl have been raised on a media and school diet of being told that their country is the best and the rest of the world is in awe of them. So seeing some local-born, steroid-bloated monster winning whathaveyou will send them into meticulously orchestrated hysterics.
It'll be very boring and rather irritating.

I'm picking that the atmosphere will be very carefully controlled. The PRC doesn't like surprises, as well you should know. They've been very carefully training their people into how to behave at the Olympics for over 2 years now.
It'll all be a very laboriously managed stage show.
Also, the 'threat' of terrorism will make sure that anything out of place (like a few ppl having spontaneous fun) will be quickly stamped out by the local goon squad.
They selling 90+% of tickets to mainlanders only, so you can just imagine what the crowd will be like towards the Chinese athletes and towards the non-Chinese athletes. These ppl have been raised on a media and school diet of being told that their country is the best and the rest of the world is in awe of them. So seeing some local-born, steroid-bloated monster winning whathaveyou will send them into meticulously orchestrated hysterics.
It'll be very boring and rather irritating.

You're depressing me :)

I had the idea of renting my apartment in HK for an extortionate amount over the month and heading somewhere quiet - put it up on Craigslist a month before the Olympics.

I might go ahead with it.

What was the point of this thread? I've seen spam more worthy than this.

What was the point of this thread? I've seen spam more worthy than this.

That's not unfair I suppose - I asked about the Olympics overall when I was far more interested in the human aspects of the story and so the thread has little focus.

I could/should have made it specifically about the Olympics in general and kept the other discussion off-forum among contacts who are aware of the issues.

You're depressing me :)

I had the idea of renting my apartment in HK for an extortionate amount over the month and heading somewhere quiet - put it up on Craigslist a month before the Olympics.

I might go ahead with it.


Whereabouts in HK do you live, if you don't mind my asking?

Whereabouts in HK do you live, if you don't mind my asking?

Tin Hau - lived in Beijing for 7 years before moving here to HK.

Noted you're in Guangzhou - Demented Hamsters also lives in HK.

Tin Hau - lived in Beijing for 7 years before moving here to HK.

Noted you're in Guangzhou - Demented Hamsters also lives in HK.


Jiangmen, actually.

Spent New Years in HK, had an absolute blast.

I've got some friends that live on Lantau island near Tung Chung, I periodically take the ferry over and see them. Maybe we can have an NSG south china meet-up one of these days.

Jiangmen, actually.

Spent New Years in HK, had an absolute blast.

I've got some friends that live on Lantau island near Tung Chung, I periodically take the ferry over and see them. Maybe we can have an NSG south china meet-up one of these days.

Sure, I've no idea how to TG unless in reply so I'd TG but... :confused: