Quote:

BEIJING - Once-reclusive China commandeered the world stage Friday, celebrating its first-time role as Olympic host with a stunning display of pageantry and pyrotechnics to open a Summer Games unrivaled for its mix of problems and promise. Now ascendant as a global power, China welcomed scores of world leaders to an opening ceremony watched by 91,000 people at the eye-catching National Stadium and a potential audience of 4 billion worldwide. It was depicted as the largest, costliest extravaganza in Olympic history, bookended by barrages of some 30,000 fireworks. To the beat of sparkling explosions, the crowd counted down the final seconds before the show began. A sea of drummers — 2,008 in all — pounded out rhythms with their hands, then acrobats on wires gently wafted down into the stadium as rockets shot up into the night sky from its rim. President Bush and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin were among the glittering roster of notables who watched China make this bold declaration that it had arrived. Bush, rebuked by China after he raised human-rights concerns this week, is the first U.S. president to attend an Olympics on foreign soil. link

I guess the real question is does anyone care? I can say that I'm not very excited about the Chinese Olympics. Unless something dramatic happens, I predict this will be one of the lowest rated Olympic telecasts.
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"Linux is more than an OS, it's a state of mind."

I think the IOC has politicized the games. When they refused to run the torch through Greenville Co that time because they didn't want to "politicize" the games, they in fact did make it political. The Neutral stance would have been to keep the original plans in place.

By going to China it has CAUSED human unrest and abuses of freedoms. China has arrested internal dissidents just because of the games coming. They have trampled basic human freedoms of the attendees. And China is awarded this economic boom for it's role. Disgraceful.
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You can't hold a liberal responsible for their words because it's character assassination.

Moon Puppy wrote:

They have trampled basic human freedoms of the attendees. And China is awarded this economic boom for it's role. Disgraceful.

It denigrates the whole concept of the Olympics. I agree.
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Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. - Robert Heinlein

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I guess the only bright spot is that it's really the only time when all the nations of the world come together and celebrate common achievement.

I did watch the 1st few minutes of the opening ceremonies and the torch lighting at the end. The 2008 drummers at the beginning was pretty impressive and the athlete who ran around the entire top of the stadium to light the torch was cool. The fireworks were great, of course. I'll have to say, it was inspirational.

Hopefully, the Chinese people will continue to struggle against their oppressive government and one day seek free speech and other freedoms we enjoy in this country.
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"Linux is more than an OS, it's a state of mind."

I kept seeing a repeat of the Berlin Olympics when Hitler had to show the world how excellent Germany was
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