Whaddya mean the Olympics have just ended? What are we going to watch on TV from now on?
That aside, what an amazing two weeks and two days it's been. It's a bittersweet feeling knowing that the Olympics that China has spent decades campaigning for and seven years preparing for are finally over after 16 days. Awe-inspiring events like these always seem to end too soon, but it's just that fleeting quality which leaves strong impressions in people's memory.
It's London's turn now. Let's see them top Beijing 2008.
Showing posts with label Beijing_Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beijing_Olympics. Show all posts
Monday, August 18, 2008
Bitter much? The Aussies are upset because Phelps defeated their home team in every event, so once his 12,000 calorie-a-day diet was revealed, they weren't shying away from making crude comments and insults.
They're just like the Americans when they lose--they whine, complain, find scapegoats, and throw hissy fits like spoiled children...which isn't far from the truth. No wonder they can't fathom going through China's athletic or academic programs--it'd require too much effort in addition to assuming responsibility and blame for one's own actions. They'll blame it on the oppressive Communist regime, of course.
Phelps practices in the pool every single day for several hours, swimming for a few dozen kilometers. If I am not mistaken, a swimmer of his caliber isn't exactly going to do a leisurely swim in the community pool as his daily practice. He most likely does other forms of exercise, such as weightlifting, to increase muscle strength. He is obviously not a "lardass"...and calling him by that shows incredible immaturity.
Assume that Aussie swimmers have the same rigorous training regimen as Phelps and eat the same amount of calories every day as he does--it can't be that different. Would you call them lardasses, then, or is that reserved for the Americans (because we obviously are all fat tubs of lard)? He's not an attention whore because he doesn't try to draw attention to himself, but because his accomplishments draw others' attention to him. He's not an egotistical maniac, and even if he were, his actions would back up his claims.
Come on, you people are not children. Show some restraint and maturity, especially on the Internet. Phelps isn't going to be hurt by your invectives because he knows things you don't and never will.
They're just like the Americans when they lose--they whine, complain, find scapegoats, and throw hissy fits like spoiled children...which isn't far from the truth. No wonder they can't fathom going through China's athletic or academic programs--it'd require too much effort in addition to assuming responsibility and blame for one's own actions. They'll blame it on the oppressive Communist regime, of course.
Phelps practices in the pool every single day for several hours, swimming for a few dozen kilometers. If I am not mistaken, a swimmer of his caliber isn't exactly going to do a leisurely swim in the community pool as his daily practice. He most likely does other forms of exercise, such as weightlifting, to increase muscle strength. He is obviously not a "lardass"...and calling him by that shows incredible immaturity.
Assume that Aussie swimmers have the same rigorous training regimen as Phelps and eat the same amount of calories every day as he does--it can't be that different. Would you call them lardasses, then, or is that reserved for the Americans (because we obviously are all fat tubs of lard)? He's not an attention whore because he doesn't try to draw attention to himself, but because his accomplishments draw others' attention to him. He's not an egotistical maniac, and even if he were, his actions would back up his claims.
Come on, you people are not children. Show some restraint and maturity, especially on the Internet. Phelps isn't going to be hurt by your invectives because he knows things you don't and never will.
It's great to be a Jamaican or a Spaniard these days, isn't it?
The Jamaicans took all the medals in the women's 100m dash final and Bolt smashed the world record for the men's event with room to spare.
Spain has won the Euro Cup, the Tour de France, and Wimbledon this year.
Now Nadal is in his first day as world #1, and undoubtedly in great spirits...but being the modest, unpretentious guy he is, he won't let it get to his head. I like how he downplays his success and always shows deference to Federer (though not to the extent that he would be willing to give up his dignity, of course) even though he has proven time and again that as least as far as their rivalry is concerned, he is the superior of the two. That's the attitude of a champion.
I'm hoping for more epic Nadal vs. Federer showdowns in the future because it's always a thrill to watch them play each other, especially when the stakes are high (even though I'm sometimes too chicken to watch). I still want to see FedEx beat Sampras' record, even if he never quite reaches the heights of the past 5 years. All he needs is to practice more often, perhaps bulk up a little, and reduce the no. of commitments to anything other than tennis.
Am I the only tennis fan on earth who likes both of them equally?
----
Poor Liu Xiang...to miss the marquee event because of an injury has to make him feel absolutely awful. So many millions of fans were counting on his reaching the medal stand to make China proud.
The Jamaicans took all the medals in the women's 100m dash final and Bolt smashed the world record for the men's event with room to spare.
Spain has won the Euro Cup, the Tour de France, and Wimbledon this year.
Now Nadal is in his first day as world #1, and undoubtedly in great spirits...but being the modest, unpretentious guy he is, he won't let it get to his head. I like how he downplays his success and always shows deference to Federer (though not to the extent that he would be willing to give up his dignity, of course) even though he has proven time and again that as least as far as their rivalry is concerned, he is the superior of the two. That's the attitude of a champion.
I'm hoping for more epic Nadal vs. Federer showdowns in the future because it's always a thrill to watch them play each other, especially when the stakes are high (even though I'm sometimes too chicken to watch). I still want to see FedEx beat Sampras' record, even if he never quite reaches the heights of the past 5 years. All he needs is to practice more often, perhaps bulk up a little, and reduce the no. of commitments to anything other than tennis.
Am I the only tennis fan on earth who likes both of them equally?
----
Poor Liu Xiang...to miss the marquee event because of an injury has to make him feel absolutely awful. So many millions of fans were counting on his reaching the medal stand to make China proud.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Usain Bolt is just nuts. 9.69 seconds to smash the world record, and he took some kind of leisurely stroll in the last 20m; he even looked around to see how far ahead he was! I can't imagine how much faster his time would have been had he actually focused through the entire race. He's just like that kid in class who fools around and never pays attention, yet aces every test and makes everyone dumbfounded.
The guy makes the 100m dash seem like child's play while the other guys seemed to struggle. Most exciting 9.69 seconds ever! Here's hoping the doping test results come back negative.
----
The U.S. crushed Spain in basketball. Serves the Spaniards right for that stupid ad.
----
Federer may not be no. 1 for much longer, but at least he's got something to smile about after a tough year. He won gold in the men's doubles tournament, and you could see his happiness pouring out when the two men hugged each other and jumped up and down like kids. They played around, with Fed pretending to massage his doubles partner on the court. It's so nice to know that he's finally got the Olympic gold he's always wanted--ironically, during the year in which he lost his no.1 ranking and his near-invincibility on the court. It'll be tough for him to beat Sampras' record now...
The guy makes the 100m dash seem like child's play while the other guys seemed to struggle. Most exciting 9.69 seconds ever! Here's hoping the doping test results come back negative.
----
The U.S. crushed Spain in basketball. Serves the Spaniards right for that stupid ad.
----
Federer may not be no. 1 for much longer, but at least he's got something to smile about after a tough year. He won gold in the men's doubles tournament, and you could see his happiness pouring out when the two men hugged each other and jumped up and down like kids. They played around, with Fed pretending to massage his doubles partner on the court. It's so nice to know that he's finally got the Olympic gold he's always wanted--ironically, during the year in which he lost his no.1 ranking and his near-invincibility on the court. It'll be tough for him to beat Sampras' record now...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Li Na defeats Venus Williams!
It's been an amazing couple of months for Chinese tennis--first Zheng Jie in the semis at Wimbledon (a first for China), and now this! She will be a national hero in China if she wins gold, and this win will certainly boost her confidence.
On a sadder note...WTF is up with Federer? What happened to that indomitable "Emperor of Tennis" whose strokes were like works of art? He still needs to break Sampras' record of Grand Slam victories, and I'm confident that he won't let himself become irrelevant in his sport until he has done so. I for one am not quite ready for him to slip from the #1 spot he's held for these past 4.5 years. It's like he's been #1 for so long that the association is forever cemented into our minds.
----
Ok, so China got thumped by the US in basketball, but at least they've proven that they can't be taken for granted.
----
Phelps is still superhuman.
It's been an amazing couple of months for Chinese tennis--first Zheng Jie in the semis at Wimbledon (a first for China), and now this! She will be a national hero in China if she wins gold, and this win will certainly boost her confidence.
On a sadder note...WTF is up with Federer? What happened to that indomitable "Emperor of Tennis" whose strokes were like works of art? He still needs to break Sampras' record of Grand Slam victories, and I'm confident that he won't let himself become irrelevant in his sport until he has done so. I for one am not quite ready for him to slip from the #1 spot he's held for these past 4.5 years. It's like he's been #1 for so long that the association is forever cemented into our minds.
----
Ok, so China got thumped by the US in basketball, but at least they've proven that they can't be taken for granted.
----
Phelps is still superhuman.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
I'm boycotting YOU, CNN.
Two very good articles:
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080418/103173.shtml
http://www.cctv.com/program/chinatoday/20080417/107718.shtml
I hadn't been on CNN.com in weeks. I'm glad I hadn't, because apparently things got rather nasty in there with the hatred of China. Jack Cafferty called the Chinese "goons and thugs". O RLY. Then what are the Tibetans who set fire to Chinese businesses then? Freedom fighters? Apparently, CNN also cropped a picture of the demonstrations in Tibet, putting the focus of the picture squarely on the Chinese military trying to control the group of rogues who were committing an act of organized violence instead of the Tibetans themselves and the destruction they had caused. CNN prides itself on being fair and accurate. Well, cropping pictures sounds awfully like something the Chinese government would do--diverting attention from the truth. The Chinese media used--gasp!--the WHOLE PICTURE. With the FIRES and everything. What does CNN have to gain from all this?
I am so sick of all this BS nonsense about China being evil. It's turning into an all-out hate-on-China fest. Sooner or later, the "discussion" is going to turn into this:
"The Chinese all work in sweatshops for pennies a day."
"They gamble, drink, smoke, and spit everywhere."
"The Chinese people are bucktoothed, dirty scumbags who eat cats and dogs."
"They shit and piss into holes in the ground, and can't see out of their slits for eyes."
"They want to poison our children with their toys and make nothing but junk [thank you Mr. Cafferty]."
"They're taking over our businesses, schools, and communities with their dirty Communist ways!"
There are already people out there accusing China of genocide and "occupying" Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Who knows what kind of arguments they'll come up with next.
I don't know the extent to which CCTV is controlled by the government. What I do know is that after reading about all these people needlessly bashing China, I'm relieved to know that people will stick up for it still. Stick up for the people, their happiness and pride. Stick up for China's future. No more of this hate and ignorance.
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080418/103173.shtml
http://www.cctv.com/program/chinatoday/20080417/107718.shtml
I hadn't been on CNN.com in weeks. I'm glad I hadn't, because apparently things got rather nasty in there with the hatred of China. Jack Cafferty called the Chinese "goons and thugs". O RLY. Then what are the Tibetans who set fire to Chinese businesses then? Freedom fighters? Apparently, CNN also cropped a picture of the demonstrations in Tibet, putting the focus of the picture squarely on the Chinese military trying to control the group of rogues who were committing an act of organized violence instead of the Tibetans themselves and the destruction they had caused. CNN prides itself on being fair and accurate. Well, cropping pictures sounds awfully like something the Chinese government would do--diverting attention from the truth. The Chinese media used--gasp!--the WHOLE PICTURE. With the FIRES and everything. What does CNN have to gain from all this?
I am so sick of all this BS nonsense about China being evil. It's turning into an all-out hate-on-China fest. Sooner or later, the "discussion" is going to turn into this:
"The Chinese all work in sweatshops for pennies a day."
"They gamble, drink, smoke, and spit everywhere."
"The Chinese people are bucktoothed, dirty scumbags who eat cats and dogs."
"They shit and piss into holes in the ground, and can't see out of their slits for eyes."
"They want to poison our children with their toys and make nothing but junk [thank you Mr. Cafferty]."
"They're taking over our businesses, schools, and communities with their dirty Communist ways!"
There are already people out there accusing China of genocide and "occupying" Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Who knows what kind of arguments they'll come up with next.
I don't know the extent to which CCTV is controlled by the government. What I do know is that after reading about all these people needlessly bashing China, I'm relieved to know that people will stick up for it still. Stick up for the people, their happiness and pride. Stick up for China's future. No more of this hate and ignorance.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Olympics
Due to the recent crackdown of the Chinese government on Tibetan protesters, a question was posted on CNN.com asking readers their opinions on a possible boycott of the Olympic Games in 2008. While some readers thought the boycott was a terrible idea and that politics shouldn't be mixed with sports, many arrogant, self-righteous assholes essentially proclaimed America and its allies as the beacons of morality by supporting a boycott. Boycotting the Games is exceedingly stupid, arrogant, and foolish; it is vastly unfair to athletes and to the Chinese people.
The crackdown today, the history of political and social oppression, and corruption aren't the only reasons why Americans and their allies take such a stance against the Chinese government. I have heard people mention, among all things, female infanticide as meriting a boycott of the Games. It seems as if people are more than happy to slough through all the positives that China has produced and select only the events which would help paint China as evil. Female infanticide is definitely a practice horrible beyond belief, but China's not the only country which has this, nor is it the only country which has a history of terrible oppression of females. Parts of Korea, Japan, and so many Third-World countries practice female infanticide or female circumcision, but the West turns a blind eye to them because they aren't communist or socialist dictatorships (or have nothing to offer). No one would blink an eye if India hosted the Games, yet it's hard to find a country where female infanticide in rural areas is more commonplace.
Do these commenters even know what actual Chinese think? Do they have Chinese friends or family, or even coworkers? My guess is that most do not. Most of the Chinese I know dislike the Chinese government, and have personally experienced much of the oppression and suffering which came with modernization, yet they had never, ever in any way shown that they hated their mother country. We all love China with all our strength and want only what's best for the people, whom we consider ourselves to be among, still. We may have come to America to achieve a better life for our families, but that does not indicate that we ever wanted to leave China behind forever. We just hate the way the government is run, and desire change as much as non-Chinese do. These changes take time, and some significant changes have already occurred. If China's given the chance to really show itself off like it plans to later this year, the Chinese people will be better off for it. The people of China have a genuine enthusiasm for the Games, which is their chance to make all their countrymen inside and outside proud. It's only fair that we be given that chance. Boycotting the Games would amount to essentially destroying the spirit of the Chinese people, and that could only lead to negative consequences for everyone.
Do the commenters know much of anything about China, its history, its culture, or its people? We value family above all else. Chinese holidays, for the Chinese, are bigger affairs than Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving. During the Spring Festival, people take their precious two-week holidays from work and school to drive, fly, or ride trains (often for days) to their homes to be with their parents, siblings, and extended families for huge celebrations. The Chinese adore their children just as much as Americans do, and the attitudes of the more traditional families toward filial piety have softened, but children are still taught to respect their parents and elders as children should. The language and much of the culture have survived with few changes for millenia, and Chinese had invented some of the technologies we now take for granted.
The entire world is against China, it seems. The Democrats in Congress (it almost makes me want to change parties) want Bush to boycott the opening ceremony. The French and English have interrupted the Olympic torch relay, and now this tradition has been canceled. The few Tibetans who began burning the businesses of Han Chinese (thus ruining the livelihoods of innocent people) had chosen the perfect time to stage those protests, and now the entire Western world is on their side, blindly guided by their holier-than-thou attitudes of moral superiority. Even people who have no knowledge of Chinese history or people are coming to Tibet's defense, making baseless claims using information from biased media reports. Some of those people have also claimed that the Chinese are "occupying" not only Tibet, but Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, all which have been Chinese territory for centuries before the Western powers took over or the Communists took charge. Just ask any person who's grown up in China or has done extensive research into Chinese history...but of course, they're lying because the Communists made false claims on everything. I am an ignoramus because I obviously didn't watch all the American news reports.
Well, the Communist Party of China certainly didn't fabricate the experience I had when I was visiting relatives in 2001. When the IOC announced that China would be hosting the Olympics in 2008, my entire family was ecstatic, cheering and hugging. The Chinese people are absolutely enthralled by the opportunity to finally host the Olympic Games, but if the world boycotts the Games, there will be over a billion dispirited Chinese people. And dispirited citizens certainly won't help China to change its ways and become more open. What those Westerners believe they're achieving by boycotting the Olympic Games will not be what actually happens. Why must they be so damn cocky about it?
What about Western imperialism and the terrible consequences that wrought on Africa and Asia? Slavery? Are those not moral transgressions or examples of human rights travesties? How is it not hypocritical to condemn China's oppressive policies when the very countries who are threatening to boycott the Olympic Games had once committed even worse crimes against human beings in the past? All these are hidden under the covers when it comes to China's, Russia's, or Cuba's human rights travesties. It's time to step off the moral high ground, you fools. The fall from your high horse will be more painful than you think. Communist China's human rights violations will not somehow justify your country's own wrongdoings or undo them.
I know I know: "it wasn't our idea". The human rights violations in China weren't my idea (and nor were they my parents', our friends', or our families'). We know it's not your intention to condemn the entire Chinese population (though if that were your intention, shame on you), but by supporting a boycott of the Olympics, you're effectively insulting all Chinese people.
You know what? We don't want you in China anyway.
I swear, sometimes I feel like we're on par with the Jews based on how each of these groups were unfairly treated throughout history. China was carved, sliced into pieces by Japan and Western powers during the later Qing dynasty. They took so many of our national treasures, poisoned our people with opium, declared war on China in the name of expanding their empires. The Communist Party formed indirectly as a reaction to foreign imperialism. Now we're the criminals. How is this justifiable or fair?
The crackdown today, the history of political and social oppression, and corruption aren't the only reasons why Americans and their allies take such a stance against the Chinese government. I have heard people mention, among all things, female infanticide as meriting a boycott of the Games. It seems as if people are more than happy to slough through all the positives that China has produced and select only the events which would help paint China as evil. Female infanticide is definitely a practice horrible beyond belief, but China's not the only country which has this, nor is it the only country which has a history of terrible oppression of females. Parts of Korea, Japan, and so many Third-World countries practice female infanticide or female circumcision, but the West turns a blind eye to them because they aren't communist or socialist dictatorships (or have nothing to offer). No one would blink an eye if India hosted the Games, yet it's hard to find a country where female infanticide in rural areas is more commonplace.
Do these commenters even know what actual Chinese think? Do they have Chinese friends or family, or even coworkers? My guess is that most do not. Most of the Chinese I know dislike the Chinese government, and have personally experienced much of the oppression and suffering which came with modernization, yet they had never, ever in any way shown that they hated their mother country. We all love China with all our strength and want only what's best for the people, whom we consider ourselves to be among, still. We may have come to America to achieve a better life for our families, but that does not indicate that we ever wanted to leave China behind forever. We just hate the way the government is run, and desire change as much as non-Chinese do. These changes take time, and some significant changes have already occurred. If China's given the chance to really show itself off like it plans to later this year, the Chinese people will be better off for it. The people of China have a genuine enthusiasm for the Games, which is their chance to make all their countrymen inside and outside proud. It's only fair that we be given that chance. Boycotting the Games would amount to essentially destroying the spirit of the Chinese people, and that could only lead to negative consequences for everyone.
Do the commenters know much of anything about China, its history, its culture, or its people? We value family above all else. Chinese holidays, for the Chinese, are bigger affairs than Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving. During the Spring Festival, people take their precious two-week holidays from work and school to drive, fly, or ride trains (often for days) to their homes to be with their parents, siblings, and extended families for huge celebrations. The Chinese adore their children just as much as Americans do, and the attitudes of the more traditional families toward filial piety have softened, but children are still taught to respect their parents and elders as children should. The language and much of the culture have survived with few changes for millenia, and Chinese had invented some of the technologies we now take for granted.
The entire world is against China, it seems. The Democrats in Congress (it almost makes me want to change parties) want Bush to boycott the opening ceremony. The French and English have interrupted the Olympic torch relay, and now this tradition has been canceled. The few Tibetans who began burning the businesses of Han Chinese (thus ruining the livelihoods of innocent people) had chosen the perfect time to stage those protests, and now the entire Western world is on their side, blindly guided by their holier-than-thou attitudes of moral superiority. Even people who have no knowledge of Chinese history or people are coming to Tibet's defense, making baseless claims using information from biased media reports. Some of those people have also claimed that the Chinese are "occupying" not only Tibet, but Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, all which have been Chinese territory for centuries before the Western powers took over or the Communists took charge. Just ask any person who's grown up in China or has done extensive research into Chinese history...but of course, they're lying because the Communists made false claims on everything. I am an ignoramus because I obviously didn't watch all the American news reports.
Well, the Communist Party of China certainly didn't fabricate the experience I had when I was visiting relatives in 2001. When the IOC announced that China would be hosting the Olympics in 2008, my entire family was ecstatic, cheering and hugging. The Chinese people are absolutely enthralled by the opportunity to finally host the Olympic Games, but if the world boycotts the Games, there will be over a billion dispirited Chinese people. And dispirited citizens certainly won't help China to change its ways and become more open. What those Westerners believe they're achieving by boycotting the Olympic Games will not be what actually happens. Why must they be so damn cocky about it?
What about Western imperialism and the terrible consequences that wrought on Africa and Asia? Slavery? Are those not moral transgressions or examples of human rights travesties? How is it not hypocritical to condemn China's oppressive policies when the very countries who are threatening to boycott the Olympic Games had once committed even worse crimes against human beings in the past? All these are hidden under the covers when it comes to China's, Russia's, or Cuba's human rights travesties. It's time to step off the moral high ground, you fools. The fall from your high horse will be more painful than you think. Communist China's human rights violations will not somehow justify your country's own wrongdoings or undo them.
I know I know: "it wasn't our idea". The human rights violations in China weren't my idea (and nor were they my parents', our friends', or our families'). We know it's not your intention to condemn the entire Chinese population (though if that were your intention, shame on you), but by supporting a boycott of the Olympics, you're effectively insulting all Chinese people.
You know what? We don't want you in China anyway.
I swear, sometimes I feel like we're on par with the Jews based on how each of these groups were unfairly treated throughout history. China was carved, sliced into pieces by Japan and Western powers during the later Qing dynasty. They took so many of our national treasures, poisoned our people with opium, declared war on China in the name of expanding their empires. The Communist Party formed indirectly as a reaction to foreign imperialism. Now we're the criminals. How is this justifiable or fair?
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