Summer Olympics News

My wife and I have been very busy this week, so I wanted to go ahead and share a few of the more interesting 2008 Summer Olympics related stories from around the web this week:

Beijing Olympics Airport: World’s Biggest Airport Opens in Beijing
This post has very cool pictures of the new Beijing airport.

Many hotel rooms still vacant for Beijing Olympics
This is good news for people planning on traveling to the Olympics this year.

Olympic Sponsors Cheer the Home Team
This is very interesting article about the way sponsors are advertising in this Olympics.

GYMNASTICS: Paul Hamm has surgery on hand
Story about Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm’s hand surgery and how it affects his changes to compete in the upcoming Olympics.

I just read that eight Pandas are on their way to the Beijing Olympics. The Pandas were staying at The China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong which was affected by the recent earthquake in China. Some of the employees at the center were hurt and some of the bears were wounded as well.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how the Pandas are used at the Summer games. My guess is that they are going to be involved in the opening ceremonies. I will have to check into that.

I was just thinking about the high gas prices and I was wondering if gas prices are going to affect the 2008 Summer Olympics. The huge rise in gas prices has certainly affected people’s travel plans in the United States. In fact, the rising gas prices are affecting all areas of our lives here in the US.

I wonder if the rising gas prices will be good or bad for the Olympics. I guess it could be good, because more people will stay home this summer rather than take long vacations. Which means they will be home to watch the Olympics on tv. On the other hand, less people will be traveling which might mean a lower turn-out for the Summer Olympics.

How do you think gas prices will affect the Olympics?

I read this really cool story on MSN the other day about an amputee trying to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

A South African sprinter, Oscar Pistorius, won an appeal this past Friday that will allow him to try out for the Beijing Olympics, running along with athletes that don’t have any disabilities. This ruling overturns a ban by IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) that prevented him from competing in the Olympics.

I can kind of understand the reason for the original ban, because Oscar’s new legs look quite powerful and they aren’t his own legs. What’s to stop racers from being able to use robotic legs that are stronger and faster than normal human legs? On the other hand, I think it’s kind of cool…

What do you think?

The IOC is sending 1 million dollars (US) in aid to help the victims of the recent earthquake in China. China has recently reported that as many as 50,000 people could be dead from the 7.9-magnitude quake that struck the Sichuan province on Monday.

It was a very nice gesture by the Olympic committee to pledge this money. The people in China really need it. I hope that there are no more setbacks leading up to the Summer Olympics, because the Chinese really could use a good Olympic experience after all the problems they have had.

Will the Dalai Lama Attend the 2008 Summer Olympics?

I just read on Yahoo news that China is considering the idea of inviting the Dalai Lama to attend the games in Beijing. I can’t imagine that the Tibetan leader will actually go, but I suppose it is possible.

What do you think… do you think there is any change the Dalai Lama will attend the Olympics this year?

Tickets for the 2008 Summer Olympics in China have sold out for all the events being held in Beijing. The only tickets left are for some of the football (soccer to us Americans) matches being played outside of Beijing.

So, if you were planning on going to the Olympics this year I hope you already bought your tickets. The tickets sold out a month earlier than expected, which is pretty amazing considering all the controversy surrounding this years Olympic games.

Just in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Amnesty International UK has released a video which depicts the torture of Olympic cartoon characters. I was given the following press release about the new campaign. My only only comment is that parents should watch the video for themselves before letting your kids watch it.

Here is the press release:

CHINA OLYMPICS: CARTOON CHARACTER TORTURED IN NEW AMNESTY FILM MARKING 100-DAY COUNTDOWN

With 100 days to go until the Beijing Olympics, Amnesty International today (30 April) launched the first in a series of four hard-hitting animated films highlighting human rights abuses linked to the Chinese authorities hosting of the Games, in particular the risks of peacefully protesting in China.

The first 40-second film, called Torchure, shows a cute, animated character being brutally beaten with an electro-shock baton by Chinese security forces for protesting about human rights. The baton is then handed to another character, who uses it to light the Olympic flame at Beijing’s Olympic stadium.

Amnesty is campaigning for Ye Guozhu, imprisoned and reportedly tortured with electro-shock batons after he protested at forced evictions in Beijing. Ye Guozhu’s home and family restaurant had been bulldozed to make way for Olympics construction.

The organisation hopes the online films will encourage people in the UK and around the world – including in China – to find out what is really happening behind the grandeur of China’s new Olympic venues, and to join Amnesty’s campaign at www.amnesty.org.uk/china for much needed human rights reforms in the country. The new website enables people to send campaigning letters and emails, share content or even to start their own blog. Amnesty is also releasing a new booklet accompanying the film, showing ‘the two faces of the Beijing Olympics’.

Amnesty International UK Campaigns Director Tim Hancock said:

“Amnesty is not against the Games but we want people to know what else is happening in China – including the silencing of critics and peaceful protesters – and to join our campaign for urgent human rights reforms.

“People who speak out about human rights in China are being persecuted and locked up ahead of the Olympics. Torture is commonplace. Right now we’re demanding the release of Ye Guozhu, who was arrested and tortured just for protesting when his home was bulldozed to make way for Olympics venues.

“The Chinese authorities promised when bidding for the Olympics that hosting the Games would improve human rights. Rather than honour these promises, the government has cracked down on dissent more rigorously than before.”

Yasmeen Ismail of Sweetworld TV, the animator behind the films, is half Chinese and spent many summer school holidays in Hong Kong. During these family trips she became influenced by ‘Hello Kitty’ and other ‘kawaii’ characters. She said:

“With animation you can create a lot of emotion.  The characters in the Amnesty China campaign are quite innocent and cuddly. When something horrific happens the impact is greater because you have built up a bond with them.

“These characters just want to have a good time and express themselves freely. They are like children playing a game and the ‘policeman’ comes over and spoils it all.

“Working on this project with Amnesty has really opened my eyes to China’s situation.  I feel angry, fired up and helpless all at the same time. I feel sad for the Chinese people and disturbed by their government.”

See the first film and join Amnesty’s campaign at www.amnesty.org.uk/china