Olympics in nine days

[ray8285]

I am tired of hearing how China isn't doing this or that to appease the world community. The big ones seem to be pollution and censorship.

The idiots at IOC/news media have the gall to be surprised that communist country is censoring internet access?

The free world screamed before hand not to go there because of the pollution and censorship and human rights violations. Now they want to complain about. More proof that morons are starting to run the world:


BEIJING (Reuters) - Some International Olympic Committee officials cut a deal to let China block sensitive websites despite promises of unrestricted access, a senior IOC official admitted on Wednesday.

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Persistent pollution fears and China's concerns about security in Tibet also remained problems for organizers nine days before the Games begin.

China had committed to providing media with the same freedom to report on the Games as they enjoyed at previous Olympics, but journalists have this week complained of finding access to sites deemed sensitive to its communist leadership blocked.

"I regret that it now appears BOCOG has announced that there will be limitations on website access during Games time," IOC press chief Kevan Gosper said, referring to Beijing's Olympic organizers.

"I also now understand that some IOC officials negotiated with the Chinese that some sensitive sites would be blocked on the basis they were not considered Games related," he said.

Attempts at the main press centre to access the website of Amnesty International, which released a report on Monday slamming China for failing to honor its Olympic human rights pledges, continued to prove fruitless by mid-week.

Other websites, including those relating to the banned spiritual group Falun Gong, are also inaccessible.

Beijing organizers said censorship would not stop journalists doing their jobs in reporting the Games.



I'm done b i tching, I feel better now

[Chit2001]

I'll continue it for ya, ray...

I think it's insane that the world is pandering to the great rising Red Star... We are essentially supporting and awarding a communist country. Insanity is a word that comes to mind, but I could think of a few more.

And yes, the "surprise" by those who are complaining about certain media aspects being censored is hilarious.

[Stormy]

I'll continue it for ya, ray...

I think it's insane that the world is pandering to the great rising Red Star... We are essentially supporting and awarding a communist country. Insanity is a word that comes to mind, but I could think of a few more.

And yes, the "surprise" by those who are complaining about certain media aspects being censored is hilarious.

Agreed.

[Stormy]

Beijing pollution index shows improvement


By TINI TRAN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 30, 2:13 PM ET

BEIJING - Beijing's pollution levels dropped Wednesday to less than half of the previous day's, the lowest reading since authorities began pulling cars off the road and shutting down factories to address athletes' concerns about air quality ahead of the Olympic Games.

A cooling wind and some rain helped sweep away pollutants and gave Beijingers a respite from the sultry heat and humidity that had cloaked the city for days.

The polluted skies over the Olympic host city have been one of the biggest worries for Olympics organizers. The concerns prompted Beijing officials to institute drastic measures earlier this month, included pulling half the city's 3.3 million vehicles off the roads, halting most construction and closing some factories in the capital and surrounding provinces.

The measures are having the desired effect, Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau, told The Associated Press in an interview.

"The daily data since July 20 shows an improvement in air quality. It reflects the results since we restricted traffic and stopped heavy-polluting factories and construction," he said. "That's why we say the measures have been effective."

Athletes participating in the Aug. 8-24 games have raised concerns about the impact of the city's pollution on their health and their performance from the start. Some of the 10,500 Olympic athletes began arriving in large numbers this week — though others headed to train in neighboring South Korea, Japan and other places to avoid Beijing's air for as long as possible.

A World Bank study found China is home to 16 of the 20 worst cities for air quality. Three-quarters of the water flowing through urban areas is unsuitable for drinking or fishing.

Some experts argue that weather, not the curbs, are largely to thank for the cleaner air. And Du himself said if the air quality continues to be a problem in the coming days, Beijing officials will consider contingency plans to expand the traffic and factory emission cutbacks.

"If weather conditions are not typical, we can strengthen the measures and enforce them more strictly," he said.

The air pollution index dropped to 44 on Wednesday, less than half what it was a day earlier, and the lowest since July 20 when the measures were implemented.

Du said that seven of the last 11 days have met the national standard for air quality, while four did not. China considers any reading below 100 to be acceptable, a so-called "blue sky day."

A reading below 50 is considered good and between 51 to 100 is moderate. But critics say even moderate levels are still above the World Health Organization's guidelines for healthy air.

The other four days — from Thursday to Sunday — had readings of 113, 110, 118, and 113, levels classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups. On those days, Beijing had sweltering temperatures and a thick, grayish haze that reduced skyscrapers to ghostly outlines.

Du said a combination of heat, high humidity and little wind created conditions that made it difficult to disperse major airborne pollutants — a mix of construction dust, vehicle exhaust and factory emissions and power plant fumes.

The extreme weather conditions were "most unfortunate" because Du was holding news conferences on the environmental measures during those days, he said.

"I was being asked questions, especially from reporters who had just arrived. It was almost impossible for them to believe that Beijing can have blue sky days," he said.

A tropical storm that hit southeastern China earlier this week brought strong winds and some rain, helping clear skies and lower temperatures by Tuesday. It also highlighted how much weather plays a part in curbing pollution. By late Wednesday afternoon, the haze had returned.

"When there's favorable weather conditions — when you have rain or wind — pollution levels will be much lower, regardless of other measures," said Steven Andrews, an independent environmental consultant based in Washington. Andrews has raised questions in the past about whether Beijing manipulated its environmental data by moving monitoring stations to less-polluted areas and changing the way it measures pollutants.

"The real issue is how it will change in the next couple days. If it doesn't rain, how fast will the numbers rise again?" he said.

At least one top athlete is staying away from the games because of air pollution. Famed Ethiopian distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, an asthmatic, decided to pull out of the marathon event, citing health concerns. The International Olympic Committee has said endurance sports longer than an hour may be delayed if air quality is not adequate.

On Sunday, the opening ceremony of the Athletes' Village came against a backdrop of thick gray haze. The housing complex itself was invisible from the nearby main Olympic Green.

The USOC is providing its 600-plus athletes with special air masks, which they have the option of wearing out on the streets. The masks are not intended to be worn during training or competition but some athletes have said they are considering wearing them.

New Zealand's athletes have been issued face masks as part of their standard team equipment while team managers have advised athletes to wear masks around the Olympic village but not during competition. Japan distributed masks normally used on construction sites to its national team.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_re_as/oly_china_pollution

[1042 Trooper]

We should have boycotted. I won't be watching them.

[Southflaguy]

Man my favorite basketball player is going to be there...Dwayne Wade...

[nuthead]

We should have boycotted. I won't be watching them.

Me either.

[1042 Trooper]

Me either.

BTW love the signature. My boy has the t-shirt.

[nuthead]

BTW love the signature. My boy has the t-shirt.

It was a toss-up between this one and "Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun". I may switch when I get stop chuckling every time I read it.