haha yeah saw the photo proof on TSN.

I think MC25 would worsen the air quality in ‘Jing. i kid.

however, I think the 500 pixel width limit is being violated...the page isnt displaying rightly, unless ive just got into the firewater a bit early.

I can understand the cyclists’ (and every other athlete participating in Beijing) concern.  The Commie bastards are lagging waaay behind in smog control since every vehicle is operating on outdated diesel technology.  They even pledged to have smog reduced by the start of the games.

They’re not going to make their projected promises.

You do know that this is standard procedure in many Asian countries don’t you? Many people sport these things when they have a cold, so that others don’t catch it, or when an airborne illness is going around, when they don’t want to catch it. Perhaps they received it from some hospitality folks locally and decided, heck why not play it safe, since you don’t look out of place with it on anyway.

My mistake. Those aren’t the standard procedure masks I was talking about.

Man these Olympics are going to be a hoot to follow, but probably because of issues other than the sporting events themselves.

Would be pretty neat to see some of the swimmers wearing scuba gear while doing their high dives.

Maybe the boy in the bubble competing for pole vault.

Perhaps the soccer team wearing Darth Vader helmets.

Now, I come from the, “If it smells like eggs, that’s just the Rouge plant, so close your windows” generation, but the pollution they’re dealing with is far worse.  I know it’s a bit “sissy” from a North American standpoint to do this, but I guess you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.

Yahoo Sports and the New York Times have more on this, and the IOC is trying to remind athletes that it’s not necessarily smog that’s going on--Beijing is also situated in a valley, so there’s quite a bit of fog and mist in addition to some nasty pollution, so it’s difficult to tell what’s what just by looking at it.

The BBC is reporting that air pollution levels are very high right now.

At least the smog hides Herzog & de Meuron’s awful Bird’s Nest stadium.

Molto Grazie, Signor Malik!

Of course, I’m not Italian.  I just like saying it.

Anyway, I grew up near the wonderfully noxious Marathon Oil Refinery so even that pales in comparison to the soot and filth of Beijing’s air.  I’m watching Andrew Zimmern, Anthony Bourdain, and Samantha Brown (drools uncontrollably) in China and I wondered, “Why aren’t they saying anything about the air pollution over there?” I’m especially shocked Bourdain didn’t mention it.

“Here, would you like fried scorpions with a seasoning of the Beijing spice:  grime?” Sounds delicious…

Y’know Chief, I was all ready with a snappy comeback--and then I saw that picture of McCarty and all the words vanished from my little screen.

You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

*ahem* In seriousness:

Really I can’t say I blame the cycling team--the air in Beijing is notoriously foul, even despite all the heavy-handed attempts by the Chinese government to curb pollution in the run-up to the Games. Gotta do what needs to be done to protect yourself, yanno?

You know, SYF (and you’re welcome), even Tony was probably followed by Mr. Party’s Representative/Reporter/Spy Dude.  I have no doubt that the commentary about Beijing’s pollution, which is at its worst in Summer, is making the People’s Republic squirm, but they can’t get away with pretending it doesn’t exist when the whole world’s watching. 

I try not to get political online as it tends to alienate one’s friends and make enemies real damn quick, but I am not a fan of totalitarian regimes, and I have no doubt that Big Brother will still be watching the journalists who are covering the Olympic games, promises of a “free press” included.

As for Tony, I thought that breaking bread with the Nuge after popping off a few hundred rounds spoke a little more profoundly for meeting people you don’t agree with in the middle than any of the grandiose statements made by the various people seeking election in this country have made over the past 12 months, but that’s just me…

And I can see Chief’s point about wearing the masks inside the airport.  While we’re not talking about an air-tight facility by any means, to brave the press gauntlet with masks on could be viewed as an attempt to make a helluva statement...but it could also have more to do with walking onto the gangway and going, “Whoah, since when did I cozy up with Zug Island?” when that outside air hits you.

Leaving aside the air pollution, they are also destroying the water resources - levels of aquifers relied on for well water are dropping by 20 feet a year, and for the Olympics they are diverting water from farming areas to Beijing to make sure the water venues are wet and all the fountains are running and all the flowers stay pretty.

The country has had many issues with water during its history - I’d be willing that part of the reason they want full control of Tibet is to ensure control of the headwaters of their rivers.

The worst part is no matter how bad it is for the visitors during the Olympics, it is worse for theie own people - and they don’t get to leave for fresher air after a few weeks.  :(

(Also, with all the talk about how many products from China were contaminated with lead paint or harmful in other ways, the rate for defective products sold inside of China is much higher.)

But yeah, the masks do look really goofy inside the building.  Still, I’d wear one - I might like super-chunky ice cream varieties, but I prefer my air a little less abrasive flavor.

If you think all that is bad, take a look at the algae problems they’ve had.  They’ve been working round the clock to clear out all the green algae from where they’ll be doing the sailing and rowing events.  I’ve seen the photos of all the algae there and it’s sickening as it made the waterways look like lush fairways on a golf course.

I dunno, maybe it’s a bit of a reach, but doesn’t the decision to host the worlds biggest sporting event in one of the most polluted cities on the planet seem rather,uh, “Bettmanish”? How certain are we that our beloved commish wasn’t an influential Olympic Committee consultant behind the scenes a few years back?

I’ve seen the photos of all the algae there and it’s sickening as it made the waterways look like lush fairways on a golf course.

Probably nutrient runoff from fertilizers.

I dunno, maybe it’s a bit of a reach, but doesn’t the decision to host the worlds biggest sporting event in one of the most polluted cities on the planet seem rather,uh, “Bettmanish”? How certain are we that our beloved commish wasn’t an influential Olympic Committee consultant behind the scenes a few years back?

I can see the reference, but it’s even more than that - it was a blind faith in the ability of capitalism to transform a political system to make it more democratic, because of course democracy and capitalism go hand in hand (once people can buy whatever they want and property laws are transformed, any government would be helpless to withstand the inevitable push away from authoritarianism) and also a blind greed to get at the enormous market of China.  Even companies who normally spout high-minded priciples, and from time to time believe them, allowed themselves to be swayed by the siren song of a market of “1.3 billion consumers.”

That many dollar signs will squash a Jiminy Cricket chirp.

No matter what the government has had to do to it’s own people to make that kind of robust economic growth happen.

C’mon, Baroque, I was just playing for a cheap laugh in an attempt to dumb down the level of discussion around here....Work with me here;-)

I try not to get political online as it tends to alienate one’s friends and make enemies real damn quick, but I am not a fan of totalitarian regimes

Whoa where to go way out on a limb there George, I can’t imagine the amount people who are fuming mad right now…

Personally I’m a big fan of totalitarian regimes. As long as I’m the one running it.

I’m not a fan of totalitarianism neither, George.  When Hong Kong was assimilated back into mainland China, even I was skeptical of the Commies promising to keep Hong Kong as is or to not interfere with the economic system that made the place the crown jewel, the proverbial apex tiger in the Asian market.  Years later, I’m still skeptical.

As for Tony, I thought that breaking bread with the Nuge after popping off a few hundred rounds spoke a little more profoundly for meeting people you don’t agree with in the middle than any of the grandiose statements made by the various people seeking election in this country have made over the past 12 months, but that’s just me…

I’m pissed off I missed that episode, man.  I wanted to see that.  I’ll catch that when the Travel Channel runs its reruns on another one of those marathon days.

We had a group study in an International Business course at Madonna U. waaaay back in time and our class was tasked to break up into groups and explore the possibility of expansion into China.  Imagine my shock when I read that at EVERY level of government, locally all the way up to nationally, a BRIBE was levied before you even get a license to open up a business.  It gets worse when you actually open up a business.  The BRIBES get even more ridiculous.

So as a group, we voted NAY to doing business in China in spite of the obvious 1.3 billion possible consumers that would or would not have made any difference in our fantasy company’s bottomline.

Athletes depend on clean air for maximum physical performance.  It’s entirely possible that the Beijing filth in the air just might not even produce record-setting feats for the first time.  I have high hopes for the U.S. Men’s Basketball (even though I’m probably THE least enthusiastic fan about the NBA in this town) and U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps so

No matter what the government has had to do to it’s own people to make that kind of robust economic growth happen.

...and how the West has exploited those people, via their government, to keep Wal-Mart stocked and cheap.

As an aside, I wish they would have left the algea. Probably would’ve helped, environmentally, but I’m no biologist.

The world is overpopulated, and we Consume rather than Use.

...and how the West has exploited those people, via their government, to keep Wal-Mart stocked and cheap.

The world is overpopulated, and we Consume rather than Use.

Gary IS to blame.

The G. Bettman Evil Hockey Plan:

Step #1: Secretly give birth to baby Gary, the hockey messiah.

Step #2: LET the Red Wings win the cup.

Step #3: Talk the Chinese into sucking all of the oil out of the global marketplace.

Step #4: FORCE George Bush to FORCE China to open their markets so Walmart can FORCE their way into the orient.

Step #5: Send little gary to China as an ambassador of good will....they, too, will become so enamored with him that ALL Chinese children want to grow up to play hockey.

Step #6: Fold arms, laugh an evil James Bond guy laugh as other 3rd world countries fall all over themselves trying to build hockey teams as Cindy promotes the game world-wide.

It creates a lot of pollution to make a hockey team. Thanks Gary.Ass.

C’mon, Baroque, I was just playing for a cheap laugh in an attempt to dumb down the level of discussion around here....Work with me here;-)

Sorry, dougie.  My apologies. 

Although Gary hasn’t completely messed up the NHL yet - I think he has a little more work to do with the Nashville situation before he can take his phenomenal talent for screw-up-edness international.

Besides, if Gary was involved, instead of having the swimming events (featuring Michael Phelps!) on early in the morning in China so they would be televised in prime-time in the US, the swimming events would air at 3:00 am on a channel visible only in Nunavut and South America.  And it would get pre-empted by a riveting rock-paper-scissors tournament with about 10 seconds to go in the finals.

USA men’s cycling team walked through the terminal at the Beijing airport today wearing those cool surgical masks.

Maybe it was just a disguise?  The Lone Strangers!

By the by isn’t the LaoShan Velodrome for the Olympic Games 2008 an indoor venue?  (Cuil it!) Masks will prolly work real well there too!

I’m just saying.....

By the by isn’t the LaoShan Velodrome for the Olympic Games 2008 an indoor venue?

Yes, and apparently there were problems with pollution drifting inside when there was an earlier competition there.

Someone should translate all those lawyer commercials into Chinese - “Are you or anyone you know bothered by stinging eyes?  Coughing?  Shortness of breath?  If so, you may be suffering from industrial smog black lung disease and be entitled to compensation!  Call 1-800-GET-CASH for the money you are entitled to.”

Sure it wouldn’t work in China, but at least we could get them off American TV stations.

Maybe it was just a disguise?  The Lone Strangers!

You have to do all that you can to keep those pesky cycling groupies at bay you know.

BREAKING NEWS:

They “apologized”.

“Sorry if we offended you, we forgot it wasn’t Halloween ha ha!”

The statement depicted the wearing of the masks as a “precautionary measure” that was “in no way meant to serve as an environmental or political statement,” adding, “We deeply regret the nature of our choices.”

Which, to be blunt, they should.

The U.S. team, like all the teams from all the nations from around the world, was invited to take part in the 2008 Games.

Here’s the analogy: who, upon receiving an invitation to someone else’s house, shows up wearing a mask?

This was not Mardi Gras.

Not Halloween.

Deeply regret my ass. Diplomacy is one thing. That is politically correct bullshit.

The air pollution is still a real problem!  This is sucking up to PC-ness is every bit as political as are the efforts to separate politics from sports.

Yes, yes the air in Beijing is still a real problem. The Chinese know that, you know that, everyone knows that.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the cycling team kinda made themselves look foolish with that contrived farce of an “apology”.

Smog in China?

Thanks, Gary. Ass.

I dunno, maybe it’s a bit of a reach, but doesn’t the decision to host the worlds biggest sporting event in one of the most polluted cities on the planet seem rather,uh, “Bettmanish”? How certain are we that our beloved commish wasn’t an influential Olympic Committee consultant behind the scenes a few years back?

Hey, the IOC is holding the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, which is dropping $12 billion to build stadiums and infrastructure (Russian oil/natural gas money, yay!), is earthquake-prone, and abuts the cheerfully politically-charged country of Georgia (and its breakaway republic of Abkhazia and the mess that is south Ossetia), and is in the neighbourhood of that cheerful little republic known as Chechnya...And they took bribes to bring the games to Salt Lake City, so their placement of Olympic Games are truly Bettman-esque.

I’m not a fan of totalitarianism neither, George.  When Hong Kong was assimilated back into mainland China, even I was skeptical of the Commies promising to keep Hong Kong as is or to not interfere with the economic system that made the place the crown jewel, the proverbial apex tiger in the Asian market.  Years later, I’m still skeptical.

My freshman year roommate was from Hong Kong, and he said that all he had to worry about when the Chinese were taking over was whatever he said in public (and he figured that this was no big deal).  As it turns out, he went back to Hong Kong as an actuary, but he doesn’t live there anymore.

wait a minute...PTI? You watch that crap? All Wilbon and skinny white talking head do is crap on hockey. If they even talk about it, its always something to do with how little they and/or “everybody” else cares.

While I’m on the subject, I’ve pretty much just stopped watching ESPN except for sports. No Sportscenter, no PTI, no Around the Horn (ok, sometimes). Sportscenter is now half sports, half feel good story of the day, and I couldn’t give two Sam Shits about how great a badmitton player little Timmy is even though he has male pattern baldness at age 3.

Its just like how MTV went from being sweet to annoying as balls in about 2 seconds once they stopped playing music videos and started with all their reality shows. SC was great when it was a low-tech production with hilarious anchors (Like Rich Eisen, and Stu, who seems different now, and not just his eye) and even better commercials.

FoxSports Final Score runs through every highlight in half an hour. And I like supporting a station that plays hockey. F*** ESPN.

The cyclists apologized for wearing masks?  Has China apologized for Tiananmen Square?  Tibet?  The reign of Mao Zedong?

The world has turned on it’s head.  What a bunch of apolitical sissies.

Agreed Monkey...sadly.

Unfortunately 2008 won’t be remembered as the year the Wings won the cup...it will be remembered as the year the world lost it’s friggin’ mind.

If I was an Olympian in China, I would be wearing a mask too. The air is so bad in China sometimes, that their own government has issued masks for its citizens to wear. China promised the IOC they would have their pollution down to what the World Health Organization considers to be acceptable levels. They failed. Therefore they have no right to be offended by athletes wearing masks.